The Duties of the Avatar
by KatanaNinja
Summary: After the war Aang must perform his duty to rebuild the Air Nation and as always his friends are there to help. However when an old enemy returns seeking vengeance Aang is torn between his obligations as an Air Nomad and as the Avatar.
1. The Spirit of Balance

The Duties of the Avatar Chapter 1

**This fanfiction is rated T for violence, language, and suggestive themes. Please review and enjoy reading!**

Avatar Aang opened his eyes softly. He was sitting passively in an unusual, misty forest in complete solitude. He wore the traditional robes and beads of his people the Air Nomads, with a particular resemblance to that of his deceased guardian Monk Gyatso.

It had been over a month since the war had ended. When peace was at first declared, it was difficult enacting it. There was no mass communication in this world and news traveled slowly. It wasn't until very recently that the Fire Nation soldiers at the far eastern tips of the Earth Kingdom learned that it was no longer their job to fight the Earthbenders but to help them rebuild their homes. These policies had of course been put in place by the Avatar's close friend Fire Lord Zuko who had recently taken over rule from his father Ozai.

As Aang waited patiently a tall figure wearing red robes with white hair appeared standing before him. It was Avatar Roku, the Avatar who had lived directly before Aang.

"Hello Aang" Roku greeted. This was the first time they had spoke since before Aang had dueled Ozai for victory in the war. In their previous conversation Roku had urged Aang, who had moral objections to his duty of slaying the evil Fire Lord, to be decisive and do what was necessary.

Aang stood up and bowed. "Hi Roku" he returned. When faced with the choice of whether or not to kill Ozai, Aang discovered the ability of Energybending, using it to remove his ability to bend to elements and effectively eliminating him as a threat.

Aang felt nervous as to whether or not his past life would approve of his decision.

_Now or never. _Aang thought

"I didn't kill Ozai, Roku" he admitted.

"I know Aang" Roku replied as though it was silly to believe he didn't know. "I am very proud of your decision."

Aang sighed relieved. He had thought Roku had called him here, to the Spirit World, to scold him.

"You are?" Aang queried. "But you said I had to be decisive and act quickly."

"You did" Roku assured. "You just did so in a way no Avatar before you has."

"Really?"

"Yes. As the cycle continues each Avatar _is_ expected to be even better than the one before him, though you had a considerably tough act to follow."

Aang chuckled.

"Now come with me Aang. There is a matter of business to attend to."

"What is it?"

"Follow me. You shall know soon."

For a short walk, Roku lead Aang through a thicket of trees until they reached a circular clearing with a large stone plate on the ground. On that plate rested a strange, large beast. The beast stood up as it saw Aang and Roku. It was obviously a Spirit but it also closely resembled a tiger, not a hybrid animal that was common of that world, but a normal tiger. It stood as it saw Aang and Roku approach.

"Young Avatar" a deep voice started. "I am Tao, the Spirit of Balance. It is an honor to meet you." The Spirit's mouth did not move as its voice rang.

Aang bowed to the Great Spirit.

"There is a very important reason I have brought you here Aang" Roku informed.

"What is it?" Aang asked.

Tao let out a roar. "It is not the former Avatar's place to explain that to you!" the tiger boomed. He roared piercingly again. "It is mine!"

Aang jumped back as his heart missed a beat. He didn't see why the Spirit needed to be so intimidating.

"Okay" Aang acknowledged fearfully. "Why have I been brought here?"

Oddly, Tao's voice turned calm and gentle as the Spirit said, "Avatar Aang, you have a very important duty to perform that, without my help, could prove almost impossible."

"What's that?"

Tao let loose another vengeful roar. "Do not interrupt! Anyway, it is my place in the universe to keep balance in the Physical World. I control all blessings and curses of your world. Every time someone dies or is born I have judged it to be in the name of keeping balance. Whenever someone even finds a coin lying on the ground I have determined that it will tip the scale of Yin and Yang into balance, the same for when someone happens to not notice that coin on the ground and never picks it up. All events that occur have the power to tip the scale, no matter how slightly, towards or away from balance. For example, I allowed the war to happen. I could have had Fire Lord Sozin struck by lightening or infected with a deadly disease but I did not. For without evil there is no balance. "

"So what does that have to do with me?" Aang asked perplexed and mesmerized that this Spirit held so much power.

"Avatar Aang you helped restore balance to the world greatly by ending the war; however the world will never again be in harmony unless the great Air Nation is restored. As the Last Airbender it is your obligation to see to it that this happens."

Aang was shocked at this revelation. "But how can I do that? How can the Air Nation be rebuilt if I'm the only one left?" he asked.

Tao roared once again and immediately responded, "Life, death and luck are not all that I control! For you see it is I who decides who is born with the ability to bend the elements and who is not! It is I who decides who the Avatar is reincarnated as!"

"Are…" Aang stuttered. "Are you saying you can make more Airbenders be born?"

"RRRRRAAA! I can! And I will!" Tao boomed. His voice changed to become soft again. "I have done so before. Airbenders have been born in the Earth and Water, and even Fire Nations in the hopes that their skills may flourish. For you see my powers work like knocking over dominoes. I make one small thing happen hoping that it will make other things happen but the dominoes don't always hit the next one. The Airbenders born in the last 100 years have had no one to teach them and had little, if any impact. But, now that you have returned their can be a teacher."

"Teacher?" Aang repeated. "I…I've never taught anyone before."

"I know." Tao roared again. "You may not yet be ready to lead the Air Nation but hear this; you may meet any of the already existing potential Airbenders and you may not, I haven't yet decided but in the name of restoring your culture and your race I hereby declare…" he freed a powerful roar and proclaimed, "…any children whom you sire no matter who the woman, shall be born as Airbenders!"

"Really?" Aang asked. This was unexpected. But he also felt a little eager. He had missed seeing other Airbenders, and had missed his people achingly since he had lost them and now if he chose he could bring them back himself. But then…a different thought hit him.

"Uh…any children I had would be born as Airbenders?" he asked cautiously. Tao nodded.

"Uh…even if I had like 1,000 kids they would all only be Airbenders?" Tao nodded.

"You seem troubled by this Aang" Roku pointed out.

"Well sort of…" Aang replied. "Uh… you see Great Spirit…I have this…girlfriend who is a…Waterbender….and I think that if we ever…"

Tao interrupted, "I noticed you said 'girlfriend', and not 'wife'." Aang nodded. "There is no point at putting the future of your entire nation at risk because of a slim chance that you may one day have a wife who could want Waterbender children. My decision stands!"

"May I say something Great Spirit?" Roku inquired.

"Of course Avatar Roku" Tao answered.

"The children of one man are not enough to replenish the population of an entire country."

"I am aware! So I offer this suggestion. There are many refugees from the war who are displaced and without homes. Offer them sanctuary at the Air Temples; teach them what plants to grow, how to live in the Temples, and show them your culture. And once your children master Airbending allow them to help with this."

"How can I do all of this in just my lifetime?" Aang asked in a pleading manner. This seemed like an impossible task.

"The Earth King and Fire Lord will help you. Also I recommend marrying and having children early, though right now is a little _too _early."

"I…I don't know…"

"Do you not wish for your people to come back? Do you not want your culture to survive? Do you want to not be the Last Airbender?"

"I do but…"

"But what?"

Aang sighed and took a deep breath. "I will do whatever it takes to restore the Air Nation and the Airbenders."

Roku and Tao smiled. "Thank you Aang" Roku bade

"Farewell and good luck AVATAR!" Tao boomed as the Spirit released an earsplitting roar that blasted Aang back dozens of feet. Roku and Tao's forms faded father and father away until Aang found himself sitting in the Fire Lord's Palace, in the chamber right outside the throne room.

"Aang" a female voice called. Aang stood and saw Katara walking towards him holding a box.

"What are you doing sitting around? Zuko's waiting for us" Katara scolded.

"Uh yeah sorry" Aang apologized dazed. "Uh Roku called me to the Spirit World for something really important."

Katara no longer seemed annoyed with him. "Really, what?" she asked.

Aang was about to answer but then he realized something. "I should tell you when we're with Zuko. He really has to know about this too."

"Ok then let's go" she insisted, grabbing his hand and moving him forward.

"Oh yeah and Katara…" Aang started, thinking about what Tao said about any children he would ever have.

"What? Is something wrong Aang?" Katara asked kindly.

"Well…uh…" he stuttered nervously. "I….uh…" he smiled goofily. "…I just hope Zuko is going to like the gift we got him."

Katara kissed Aang on the cheek. "There's no need to be so worried. Let's go."

_I guess it probably is too soon. _Aang thought.


	2. The Fire Lord's Birthday

"All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" the Fire Sage proclaimed. As he declared this, the other sages beat on drums and chanted respectful hymns.

As the leading sage said this he stepped into the middle of the room facing the throne. Sitting on the throne was Fire Lord Zuko, with his grand robes, regal posture and burn scar over his left eye.

The sage continued, "On this, the Fire Lord's 17th birthday we pay tribute and honor to him. May he be presented with his gifts now."

Two other Fire sages entered the chamber bearing a large chest.

"From the Fire Sages, incense of the highest quality and value, may they be burned at your discretion."

"From the Tribal Chief of the Northern Water Tribe," the sage continued as a man dressed in blue garbs came in holding a fur, "a priceless ceremonial headdress reflecting honorary acceptance into the tribe and mutual respect."

Then four men came in heaving a huge, yellow trunk. The men wore green and brown outfits.

"From His Majesty the Earth King, 100 pounds of gold, given in thankfulness for peace between our great nations."

The Fire Lord stood and politely announced, "Thank you all for these wonderful gifts. I cannot begin to expound onto you how grateful I am for your leader's generosity, acceptance and kindness even in the aftermath in such of a horrible war. I am humbled by it in ways impossible to describe."

He bowed. The gift bearers bowed in response and exited.

"Fire Lord Zuko, with all due respect, the endowment is not yet complete" the Fire Sage informed.

"Who else is left?" Fire Lord Zuko asked.

The sage cleared his throat and declared, "Announcing the presence of His Holiness, Avatar Aang, and Master Waterbender Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

Aang and Katara walked into the room, each of them carrying a package of sorts.

Abandoning all formality and custom, Zuko beamed, "Aang, Katara, I'm so glad to see you!" He ran over to them and embraced them in a brotherly hug.

"Happy birthday Zuko!" Katara greeted as if they hadn't seen each other in years.

"And many more Sifu Hotman" Aang welcomed childishly.

As he pulled away Zuko mocked, "Aang, if you call me that one more time I swear to the Spirits I'm going to…"

"Time for presents!" Katara cut in. "You can go first Aang."

"All right!" Aang acknowledged happily. He was holding a big scroll. He opened it and showed it to Zuko. Painted on the parchment was an illustration of, as Katara's brother Sokka describes it, Team Avatar. It was a detailed drawing of the group of buddies who had worked together to defeat Fire Lord Ozai and other of Zuko's friends; Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, their blind Earthbender friend, Toph, Sokka's girlfriend Suki, Zuko's uncle Iroh, Zuko's girlfriend Mai, Mai's acrobat friend Ty Lee, Aang's pet Lemur Momo, and his flying bison Appa. It was drawn in amazing detail and accuracy.

"You painted this?" Zuko asked as he marveled at it.

"Well sort of" Aang replied humbly. "I used Paintbending, you know Waterbending but with paint, it took me about a thousand tries to get it right, but it's still better than anything Sokka ever painted."

"Thank you" Zuko replied. He then hugged Aang like he would a little brother.

"Well it'll be hard to top that" Katara confessed.

"I'm sure you got me something just as special" Zuko assured.

"You could say that" Katara said as she looked at what she was holding. It was a glass box with the Water Nation symbol carved into it.

"Zuko, remember when we were in prison together and I told you I might be able to heal your scar?" Katara asked.

"Y…yeah" the Fire Lord cautiously answered.

"Well I uh…used the Spirit Water I was going to do that with when Azula almost killed Aang, but since then I…uh went back to the North Pole. This box is filled with water from the Spirit Oasis, more than I had before. If anything can finally heal you, this can."

Zuko gasped. He did not want to become hopeful in vain, for his scar was deep and permanent, but there was still a chance that this could work. "Let's try it" he murmured.

Katara nodded. She opened a small flap on the container and set in on the ground. Using the movements of the Kung Fu style Tai Chi she bended the water into the air in a flowing mass and gently guided it to Zuko's face. The cool liquid rested over his scar that stretched from his eye to his ear. Katara touched the water with her right palm and the puddle began to glow a soothing, light blue.

They stood frozen in that position for what seemed like hours but were really only a few minutes. Abruptly, Zuko pulled away and starting grunting loudly, grabbing his face with both hands.

"Zuko, what's wrong?!" Katara asked horrified.

"My eye!" Zuko yelled.

"Oh, no Katara!" Aang said morbidly. "You've blinded Zuko!" Katara gasped in fearful guilt.

"What?" Zuko questioned as though this was ridiculous. "No. No. It's just…my eye; it's finally opening all of the way." Zuko's eyelid had always been forced mostly shut by his injury.

"Then why were you screaming?" Aang queried.

"I got water in my eye" Zuko answered casually, removing one of his hands. Aang and Katara groaned, both of them very annoyed.

"Never scare me like that again Zuko" Katara pleaded, placing her hand over her heart to calm it.

"Uh sorry about that" Zuko apologized, rubbing the back of his head.

Aang and Katara gasped.

"What?" Zuko asked.

Katara picked up her box and flipped it so its back could be used as a mirror. Zuko gazed at his reflection. He saw two sides of his face exactly the same. His left eye opened as wide as his right. His left ear was no longer singed. He no longer felt the hesitation and weakness of his left side that had plagued him for 3 years. He had never been blind in that eye but his vision had been greatly reduced by the wound that his cruel father had inflicted on him. Now tears of joy streamed from both of his fully-functioning eyes.

"Oh, thank you Katara!" Zuko whispered non-believingly as he rapped his arms around her in t grateful, warm and friendly hug.

"You're welcome Zuko" she said, also shedding a few tears.

"I know I'll never be able to repay you for this."

"Well I guess from now on I can call you Sifu Uni-brow" Aang joked.

"What?!" Zuko asked defensively.

"Well…uh" Katara began to explain. "…your eyebrow and eyelashes haven't quite grown back yet."

Zuko looked at his reflection again. What Katara said was true; though the roots of his brow's hair follicles appeared to be mended they were at this point so light that they were nearly invisible.

"Ah, I'm a freak! As Fire Lord I order no one to look at my face for the next few weeks!" Zuko hollered irrationally.

Aang and Katara laughed hysterically.

"Anyone who laughs is banished!" Zuko warned. Aang started whistling innocently and Katara looked at her shoes. Zuko moaned.

"Oh yeah" Katara said, realizing something. "Aang you said you had something important to tell me and Zuko."

"That's right" Aang remembered. "You'd better sit down. This will take a while to explain." And Aang explained everything he learned on his recent journey to the Spirit World, save for a few details he felt unessential.

When Aang was done Zuko recapped, "So you need my help to restore the Air Nation?"

"Yes" Aang replied. "Balance will never be restored if one of the elements doesn't survive."

"Your plan won't be easy to carry out. I'm not sure many refugees will be eager to leave their homes to go live in some strange land."

"Their homes in the Earth Kingdom are already destroyed and it's not like we're going to force them."

"Well there's another problem. Who will be in charge of the temples? You're the Avatar, you're busy protecting the world, and you can't be in all four of the Air Temples at once and still do that."

"Well you see…uh…there's a…a…simple solution…oh."

"You haven't thought about it at all?!"

"Well…"

"Aang" Katara interjected.

"What?"

"Isn't there already someone living in the Eastern Air Temple?"

Aang smiled. "There is! Guru Pathik; he taught me to master the Avatar State! I'm sure he would be willing to help!"

"Well that's one man for one temple" Zuko pointed out. "What about the North, South and…"

"There are already people living in the Northern Air Temple!" Aang exclaimed. "We just have to convince them to pollute less and help keep the history alive."

"Shouldn't be that hard" Katara assured. "The Mechanist is a reasonable guy."

Aang grabbed Katara's shoulders eagerly. "Katara, we're going to rebuild my nation!" he said joyfully. They hugged each other.

"That's all fine and good" Zuko said. "But what about the other two temples, there's no one living at them and there are no other Airbenders to put in charge of them. Who can we ask to be in control of them? Who can we trust to do that?"

"I…have no clue" Aang owned up. "What about your uncle?"

"He's still running his tea shop in Ba Sing Se. He's done enough in this war. I don't want to ask him to interrupt his new, quiet life" Zuko informed respectfully.

"What about the other members of the Order of the White Lotus?" Katara posed. "Could they do something to help?" The Order of the White Lotus was an organization of philosophers and warriors that transcended the boundaries of the Four Nations.

"They…just might be able to" Zuko recognized. "Out of anyone who would be able to they would be the most willing people to help."

"Could you call a meeting of them so we could ask them?" Aang asked.

"I think so" Zuko said, pulling a White Lotus Pai Sho piece from his sleeve. "I am just a junior member but I think I can arrange that. Good idea guys."

"So you'll help?" Aang asked buoyantly.

"I already promised you that we would rebuild the world together didn't I? If I provide escorts then the meeting should be able to take place in about a week. How does that work?" Zuko said.

"That'll be just perfect Sifu Hotbrow" Aang replied mockingly.

"Don't call me that you jackass!" Zuko ordered.

"Don't call my boyfriend a jackass you jackass!" Katara snapped.

"Don't call me a jackass you…you…" Zuko stuttered.

"Whatever word you're thinking of saying it's a bad idea Zuko" a gloomy, yet oddly uplifted voice said.

Zuko's girlfriend Mai entered the hall with a partially sarcastic smile on her face.

"After all the word 'jackass' wasn't meant to be used for girls and the words that were are guaranteed to get you an angry Waterbending icicle shoved up your…"

"Mai!" Zuko interjected standing up. "How are you?"

"As happy as my personality will permit me to be" Mai joked, walking up to Zuko.

"That's good."

Mai skipped a breath. She was staring at Zuko's face mesmerized. "Oh…oh my…"

"What's wrong Mai?"

Mai touched the skin under Zuko's left eye with her palm. "You're scar…it's gone" she whispered.

Zuko put his hands on her shoulders. "That's right Mai, I'm healed now" he told her.

Mai wrapped her arms around Zuko's neck and he embraced her as well. "Thank the Spirits" she said.

"The Spirits aren't the only ones to thank" Zuko informed. Mai pulled away with a curious look on her face. "Katara healed me."

Mai still held on to Zuko as she looked towards his friends and said, with more happiness and gratitude than anyone who knows her would expect, "Thank you so much for doing this for Zuko, Katara."

"Of course" Katara replied.

"Now" Zuko said, "let's get the rest of Team Avatar back together, we've got a lot of work to do if we want to rebuild the Air Nation."

"Rebuild the Air Nation?" Mai repeated. "What have you been doing behind my back this time Zuko?"

They all shared in a laugh at this, save for self-conscious Zuko.


	3. The Meeting of the White Lotus Society

"What's taking them so long?" Katara asked irately as she scanned the sky.

"Relax Katara they're flying all the way from Ba Sing Se" Aang reminded. It had been a week and a half since Zuko's birthday and the members of the Order of the White Lotus had gathered at the Fire Nation Palace to hear the proposal.

"But the meeting's going to start soon and they shouldn't miss any of it."

"And they won't, look!" No sooner had Aang said that then the silhouette of a giant bison soaring through the sky appeared. The bison known as Appa landed on the ground in front of Aang and Katara.

The members of Team Avatar had been resting at the Jasmine Dragon tea shop in Ba Sing Se after the war had ended, but Zuko had to return to the Fire Nation to rule as Fire Lord. When his birthday began to approach, Aang, Katara and Sokka flew to the North Pole to visit the Spirit Oasis. Since Appa still had his summer coat and could not endure the frigid cold, he and Sokka returned to Ba Sing Se and a Dai Li assassination attempt on the Earth King had kept them and the rest of Team Avatar busy in the following time.

Sokka jumped down from Appa's head and harness. He had been steering in Aang's absence since despite Aang's position as the Avatar, Sokka was the unofficial leader of Team Avatar.

Like his sister, Sokka's skin was tan in a way that resembled an Inuit and he had dark hair and blue eyes. He was wearing his usual Water Tribe clothes and slung over his back were the holders of a boomerang, a metal club similar to the Zulu iwisa, and a jian, the Chinese straight-sword.

Aang and Katara ran up and hugged Sokka. "Aang, Katara!" the Water Tribe warrior beamed. "How are my favorite Avatar and sister?"

"Just great Sokka" Katara said.

"How are things back in the Earth Kingdom?" Aang asked.

Sokka answered, "Well I finally found my sword and boomerang, Toph is learning how to make tea, and Suki actually managed to beat Iroh in a game of Pai Sho. Oh and the Dai Li tried to kill the Earth King."

"What?" Aang and Katara asked in unison.

"Please like some well-planned, incredibly organized, and ruthless assassination attempt is any problem for Team Avatar" Sokka boasted.

"Yeah we put them in their place" a triumphant voice from the top of Appa bragged. The source of the voice, a small girl jumped onto the ground. The girl was Toph Bei Fong. She was very short and wore her dark hair in a bun. Her eyes were a greenish-dead-grey for she was blind, though this handicap did little to limit her since she could use her amazing Earthbending abilities to sense vibrations in the earth to see shapes.

"How are you doing Twinkle-toes and Sugar Queen?" Toph asked fondly using the nicknames she had bestowed upon her two friends that reflected their lighthearted natures in comparison to her, rough around the edges personality.

Aang and Katara hugged her as well. Though Toph was considered tough and blunt, she was not beyond showing affection.

"It's nice to see you too."

Sokka's girlfriend Suki then climbed down from Appa. She was a Kyoshi Warrior and wore leather armor and face-paint similar to that of a Japanese geisha. Strapped to her belt were a war fan and a katana, a curved two-handed sword.

"Is there room for one more?" she asked as she stood next to Sokka.

"You don't really need to be in uniform Suki, it's not like we're going into battle" Aang pointed out.

"Please you know this uniform is the honor of a Kyoshi warrior. I hate taking it off" Suki remarked.

"Plus I love my women painted and ready for battle" Sokka said, wrapping his arm around Suki.

"That'll come in handy with having to put up with you" Katara teased. Everyone laughed.

"Oh ha, ha, ha" Sokka fake-laughed. "That was so funny I forgot to laugh."

"Run her through with your sword Sokka!" Toph encouraged fictitiously.

"I just might do that" Sokka replied, unsheathing his blade. His sword was black, having been forged from ore from a meteorite.

"I just realized something" Aang said. "Both you and Suki have a sword."

"Sure do" Suki said, unsheathing her katana. "Mine just happens to be a lot better."

"Oh we'll see about that little missy" Sokka said, feigning preparing to attack.

"Now if you attack my leader with that nasty sword" a peppy voice said as another girl wearing Kyoshi Warrior armor somersaulted from Appa's saddle onto the ground. "I might just have to block you qi (pronounced chi) again" the girl added as she dropped down in front of Sokka. The eager girl was Ty Lee, a former servant of Zuko's diabolical sister Azula who was now a Kyoshi Warrior.

"I'll keep that in mind" Sokka said awkwardly as Ty Lee kept her face close to him.

"You realize of course if you get any closer to my boyfriend I'm going to have to take your fan away" Suki warned.

"Not my fan!" Ty Lee begged as she did a cartwheel to move away from Sokka.

"You brought Ty Lee with you?" Aang asked puzzled.

"The girls wouldn't let me go by myself" Suki explained. "And she wanted to see her friend Mai."

"You aren't happy to see me Aang?" Ty Lee asked, pretending to sound hurt and making a sad face.

"No, it's not that, of course I…" Aang began, not wanting to seem rude.

"Well that qi blocking thing you do is kind of creepy" Katara asserted. Ty Lee frowned though didn't take it personally.

Appa moaned softly and lay down. His saddle tipped upward and could be easily seen. In it sat the mischievous Lemur Momo and Zuko's robust uncle Iroh, holding a tsungi horn and surrounded by other objects.

"Well hello everyone" the old general greeted joyously. Everyone bowed showing respect to the humble Firebending master who was wearing white robes that were the uniform of the Order of the White Lotus.

"Zuko told me you were a packrat but I didn't know he was this serious" Aang said, noting the many parcels surrounding Iroh.

"These are our birthday presents to Zuko" Iroh replied festively, climbing down to the ground. "You didn't think I would forget my own nephew's birthday did you?"

"Of course not."

"Has the meeting started yet?"

"No but it will soon. It shouldn't start without its Grand Master there though."

"Then let's not keep them waiting any longer."

An hour later they had assembled in the Fire Lord's war room where meetings regarding military matters were usually held. As opposed to the customary generals, admirals, captains, and lieteneants who usually surrounded the table, which was also a detailed map of the world, the members of Team Avatar and the Order of the White Lotus, surrounded the board. Of course sitting at the head of the meeting in his throne was Fire Lord Zuko. At his left-hand side was the retired General Iroh, and at his right was Avatar Aang.

The Order of the White Lotus members who were present at the meeting were old, wise masters who Aang was familiar with. One of them was King Bumi of the great Earth Kingdom city of Omashu, who had known Aang before the start of the war nearly a century ago. Despite his advance age, Bumi was still a powerful warrior and Earthbender, though still a little eccentric.

Also there was the Firebending master Jeong Jeong the Deserter, who had been the first man to attempt to teach Aang Firebending but failed when Aang did not comprehend his lessons of control and restraint and had unintentionally burned Katara.

Katara and Sokka's step-grandfather Pakku, the greatest Waterbender in the Northern and Southern Tribes was also an attending member. He had taught Katara Waterbending after he had learned she was the granddaughter of his childhood love Kanna.

A man by the name of Piandao, the Fire Nation's greatest swordfighter and sword maker who had helped create Sokka's jian and taught him how to use it also sat the meeting.

"So that's about the long and short of it" Zuko said after he finished explaining the proposed plan.

"This plan will not be easy to carry out" Pakku said. "How can we expect enough refugees to rebuild the temples to go along willingly?"

"The people living in the Northern Air Temple found that place and made it their home on their own" Katara pointed out. "We just need to find people who have nowhere else to go."

"There's another problem though" Jeong Jeong said. "The people of the Earth Kingdom still do not trust the Fire Nation or its soldiers. They would be unlikely to trust them to take them to a new home."

"Yes it seems we would need the support of the Earth King for this plan to be carried out painlessly" Piandao said.

It was King Bumi who spoke next. What he said was, "As you know Aang and I are good friends. If he thinks this plan will work I'm all for it. Omashu has been mostly repaired since the war; I could spare some troops to help with this, and some rock candy to keep the spirits up…muhahaha!"

"While that will be helpful, the Earth King has a farther reaching rule than you. We will still need his assistance."

"He may be less than eager to relinquish any of his security forces in wake of the recent attempt on his life" Pakku reminded. "What became of that anyway?"

"No worries Gramp Gramp" Sokka assured. "We took care of that personally. The Dai Li is no match for Team Avatar. "

"What about their leader Long Feng? Is he dead or imprisoned?"

"Well…uh no he escaped. But all of his agents are locked away forever!"

"But the Earth King's life is still at some risk?" Pakku asked piercingly. Sokka nodded sadly.

"One man against the entire Royal Guard of Ba Sing Se, this issue can wait. The fate of Aang's people is a more immediate matter" Iroh insisted.

"Aang's people are already dead, they don't need to be saved; they need their culture saved. The Earth King is still alive and with no heir to his throne if he were to…"

"You are all much to concerned with what was and what will be" a calming voice said from behind them. A man with ragged clothes and a white beard that resembled someone from India walked into the throne room.

"Guru Pathik?" Aang asked.

"Sir" one of the Fire Lord's guards said. "He said he was invited to the meeting."

"I've never…" Zuko started.

"This is Guru Pathik" Aang notified. "He taught me to master the Avatar State. Without him I never could have defeated Ozai."

"Any friend of the Avatar is a friend of mine" Zuko concluded. "Please join us."

Pathik sat down. "I sensed you were in need of my help Aang, sorry I'm late" he said.

"The Eastern Air Temple will become a loving home for anyone who seeks sanctuary there" he promised.

"With all do respect Guru Pathik what makes you qualified to be in charge of one of the Air Temples?" Zuko asked.

"I am 150 years old" the old guru explained. "I was alive at the height of the Airbenders' power. I know more about their culture than anyone else who is alive."

This was too bold of a claim to believe automatically. The others looked at Aang.

"Uh…what he says is true" Aang said.

"Very well but how do you plan to protect the Air Temple?" Pakku asked.

"Yes are you a bender of some kind?" Jeong Jeong asked.

"Or a warrior?" Piandao posed.

"No. I hold no alliance to any one of the Four Nations and I have never been trained in combat" Pathik answered.

"Then what if the temple were to be attacked by bandits or rebels?" Pakku asked.

"I could always send some Earthbenders to help guard it" King Bumi suggested.

"We need a more permanent solution to the problem."

"What if we sent displaced benders and warriors to the Eastern Air Temple?" Sokka proposed. "You know, soldiers who lost their homes and families. I'm sure a little Guru-goody-goodness will do them some good."

"That's actually a good idea Sokka" Katara complimented.

"It'll work for now but who will be the guardians of the other two temples?" Pakku asked.

"We need people that we can trust" Zuko said. "White Lotus members are some of the first people who come to mind. Do any of you wish to?"

"I will watch over the Southern Air Temple" Jeong Jeong declared.

"Are you sure old friend?" Iroh asked.

"Yes I am" the Firebending master said. "In my entire life I have only caused death, destruction and pain. Now I can do something to help others, something to redeem myself. I can never restore the families I have destroyed but I can help restore the nation my people have destroyed."

"Then it's decided, unless anyone has objections to this" Zuko said. No one raised any objections.

"Then who should guard the Western Air Temple?"

No one said anything.

"…Well I cannot" Pakku said. "My students and I are already hard at word rebuilding the Southern Water Tribe."

"I can't leave Omashu without its mad ruler" Bumi said.

"Then…" Iroh started.

"I will do it" Piandao announced.

"With all due respect Piandao you are not a bender or as young as once were" Pakku said. "To how great of an extent can you protect the Western Temple?"

"I am well aware of my limits Master Pakku" Piandao replied. "But the Western Air Temple is at an advantage in that it is in close enough range of the Fire Nation Capital that help could reach it soon if need be. Also, I have had too few real students. I would like this chance to pass down the ways of swordsmanship to many pupils. Besides, it's not like I'm using my life to do anything more important."

Toph then spoke for the first time in the meeting. She said, "If the temples need extra protection then some of us (meaning Team Avatar) could…"

"No. We need you to protect the Earth King" Pakku said. "As the enemies of Long Feng you are more likely to draw him out in the open."

"Wait a minute there's one thing we're all forgetting here" Sokka announced. Everyone looked to him. "All of the Airbenders are gone. We can rebuild their temples, their culture and their history but that won't bring them back from the dead. We can't place our hopes that potential Airbenders will just appear because we do all of this."

"…We aren't Sokka" Aang replied hesitantly. "We may or may not meet the potential Airbenders that are alive but there is another more sure way. If I have kids, then they will be Airbenders."

"Yes of course" Iroh said. "We should have realized this sooner."

"Aren't monks of the Air Nation required to take vows of celibacy?" Bumi asked.

"Well desperate times call for desperate measures" Aang said. "Besides, you don't take those until you turn 16 and there isn't anyone for me to vow to…so."

"Not to mention the Avatar is usually the exception to many traditional rules" Pathik said.

"Whatever the traditions were when Air Nomads could afford to not reproduce should not rule over what is done to restore them" Iroh said. "Now how should we work Aang's offspring into the plan?

"The practical, but not necessarily the right thing to do would be for Aang to impregnate as many women as possible" Pakku said.

"Pakku!" Katara yelled. Aang blushed. Pakku knew Aang and Katara were together, why would he suggest such a horrible plan?

"That is not a good idea" Pathik affirmed. "Aang is a spiritual leader as much as a physical one. His actions reflect the honor of the entire world. The world cannot look to him for guidance and wisdom if he becomes nothing more than a common prostitute."

"I agree" Zuko said.

"As do I" Iroh said.

"Besides" Katara said, "there's no guarantee that all of those kids he would have with those random women would be Airbenders, right Aang?"

"Uh…right" Aang lied.

"This discussion is premature anyway" Sokka argued. "Aang's too young right now. When he turns 16 and is a man then we can plan more about this. By the way, the Avatar is allowed to have children by the Spirit World rules or whatever is in charge of this, right?"

"Yeah" Suki answered. "Avatar Kyoshi had a daughter."

"And Avatar Roku…" Zuko began awkwardly. "…had kids too." Avatar Roku was Zuko's great-grandfather, making Aang his spiritual relative. He hadn't told Aang that.

"So we'll talk more about this disturbing subject in four years then?" Bumi asked keenly.

"Three years" Aang corrected.

"What?" many of them asked in unison.

"I'm 13" Aang said.

"What, since when?" Katara asked.

"Well I turned 13 today."

"What?"

"It's your birthday and you didn't tell us Twinkle-toes?" Toph asked.

"Yeah. What's the big deal?" Aang asked as though he was completely oblivious as to why his friends were surprised.

**Please review.**


	4. The Avatar's Wedding

**Please review and tell me what you think.**

"Aang would you join me on the balcony?" Katara asked.

"Sure Katara" Aang said.

They were at Aang's birthday celebration that Zuko had ordered the servants to drum up immediately after they had learned that it was that day. Being unprepared, his friends had no gifts to offer him other than their companionship but Zuko's servants had laid out cakes, cookies, fire flakes, and wine.

"Of course…a….a…Aang can join you" Sokka drunkenly stuttered. It had been too late when he discovered that Fire Nation wine was stronger than what was normally served at Water Tribe celebrations. "…he…he's your boyfriend…your boyfriend…friend who is a boy…friend who you…"

"Anything to get away from him right now" Aang added.

"Hey…you got a problem with me…you can spray…say it to my fist" Sokka said as he flopped his arm forward and collapsed unconscious on the ground.

"It's all right people" Toph announced. "He's lying on his stomach. He'll live through the night if we leave him like that."

Aang and Katara left the party room and walked out onto a balcony over-looking the ocean.

"Why didn't you tell us it was your birthday Aang?" Katara asked.

"Because it isn't really a big deal" he answered densely.

"It's the day you were born, that's a big deal to all of us."

"When I was growing up in the Southern Air Temple birthdays weren't a big deal. An Air Nomad is supposed to detach himself from worldly concerns and material possessions. There aren't any presents or parties; all you do is eat a cake with your guardian."

"That's kind of awful Aang."

"Not really, an Air Nomad's life is supposed to be humble and simple."

"I think we both know that as long as you're the Avatar your life will never be like that."

"You're probably right" Aang laughed.

"I'm serious Aang" Katara said. "You may have been born an Air Nomad but you have to remember that as the Avatar you'll always be someone of all four of the nations."

"You're right. I never thought of it like that. But then…"

"But what?"

"Then the Air Nation is truly gone. The fact that the Avatar is an Airbender doesn't mean anything, he…or she of course…always is. There are no true Air Nomads left."

"How could you say that Aang?"

"Because it's true."

"Aang it matters more than anything in the world that you're here and you're an Airbender" Katara comforted moving closer to Aang. "If it wasn't for you then Ozai would have destroyed the Earth Kingdom."

"That didn't bring me any closer to saving my people" Aang scoffed. "The monks, the lemurs, the bison, they're all gone."

"They won't be gone forever Aang."

"Even if we bring back the monks, the lemurs and bison will still be gone."

"We don't know that for sure. Momo survived in the Southern Air Temple; maybe there are more lemurs and maybe even bison."

"Probably not."

"There's still hope Aang. There's always hope."

Aang smiled. "And you're always there to remind me of that." They hugged warmly. "I love you Katara."

"I love you too Aang. We'll always be together."

"Always."

"From now to the day we get married till the day we die."

"Married…thinking that far ahead huh?"

"Of course."

"Of course, there's no one I'd want to make new Airbenders with more."

"Of course…they don't all have to be Airbenders."

Aang gulped. _Oh no, this is what I was afraid of._

"Uh…yeah."

"I mean I know it's important for the Airbenders to come back but there's no telling how many kids we'll have and…I've always wanted a little Waterbending girl, named Kya, just like my mother."

"Yeah…a little Waterbending girl for you."

"And a little Airbending boy for you."

"Yeah…or more than one you know…"

"Yes. As many Airbenders as you want and one Waterbender…."

"Damn it I can't lie to you I don't know how Sokka does it all the time!" Aang shouted pulling himself away.

"What are you…what did Sokka lie to me about?" Katara asked.

"He used your comb to pick pieces of jerky out of his teeth" Aang told her.

"Ew!" Katara yelled, looking at her long hair. "I use this comb every…wait, what are lying about?"

"I'm sorry Katara, but I can't promise you something…I can't give to you."

"What do you mean?"

"I…can't give you your little Waterbender."

"W…why?"

"It's impossible."

"W…why…d…did Ozai hit you below the belt when you were fighting or something?"

"What, no…no I can have kids…but only Airbenders…only Airbenders…I can only give you a little Airbender."

"…But you and I are both Waterbenders so when you think about it…"

"It doesn't work like that. The Spirit who controls this made it so I can only have Airbender children."

"Why?"

"Because I'm the Last Airbender…I have to rebuild the Air Nation…I have to _use_ my kids for that…they have to grow up thinking that's why they were…"

"Aang" Katara stopped him. "As long as we love each other that will never be the only reason they were brought into this world."

She hugged him tightly. "How can you be ok with this?" Aang asked. "If you're with me you'll never get your little Water Tribe girl."

"I am a little disappointed" she admitted. "And I feel like I'm being selfish because of that, but I know that any children I have with you would be the most special in the world whether they're Airbenders, Waterbenders , Firebenders, or no benders at all."

"I love you Katara."

"I love you too."

**A little over three years later.**

"As Chief of the Southern Water Tribe I now pronounce you husband and wife" Chief Hakoda proclaimed.

Aang pulled Katara in closely and they engaged in a long, loving, kiss.

The surrounding crowed began cheering. Hundreds of people had gathered at the Southern Water Tribe for the Avatar's wedding; their old traveling companions, people from towns they had liberated, noblemen, the Earth King and his procession, the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe, and anyone else who had managed to come.

As the ceremony ended people were allowed to approach Aang and Katara. Katara's father Hakoda was the first to speak to them. He was a respected warrior and resembled Sokka greatly. He said, "Katara I always knew you would choose an amazing husband. I know your mother would be the second happiest women in the world today if she was here."

Katara hugged her father and kissed him on the cheek.

"Aang" Hakoda said. Aang looked to him. "If you break her heart I'm going to gut you like a fish" Katara's father warned light-heartedly.

Aang laughed. "You won't have to worry about that Chief Hakoda" he assured.

The Chief pulled Aang into a fake headlock. "We're family now" he said. "Call me dad."

"Uh…ok" Aang said uncertainly. Then he saw the warm expression on the man's face. "Dad." He hugged his new father-in-law.

"Aang, Katara!" Sokka's voice said. He was crying, unable to contain his emotions. They both hugged him at the same time. "My little sister and my best friend!"

"Aw don't cry Sokka" Katara said.

"I'm just so excited!" he said.

Suki approached, holding an infant child. "Maybe you could put some of that energy to changing little Hakoda's diaper every now and then" she said. Suki and Sokka had been married for about two years. Their son Hakoda, named after Katara and Sokka's father was about a year old.

"Welcome to the family Aang" Suki said, placing one hand on Aang's shoulder then kissing his cheek.

"Thanks sis" Aang joked. Then it hit him. "Wow, I have a brother and sister now."

He looked at the baby Suki was holding. "And a nephew."

"I wish your mother was here to see this" Hakoda said tears escaping his eyes. "I miss her so much."

"Aw don't be sad dad" Katara consoled hugging him again.

"Yeah dad" Sokka added, hugging his father as well.

"It's okay dad" Suki said using her free arm to join in, holding her baby with the other one.

"Yeah dad" Aang agreed, joining the family-hug.

"Hope we aren't interrupting" Toph's voice said. She was standing with Zuko, his uncle and wife Mai, and some of their other friends, such as Teo, the Duke, Pipsqueak, and Haru. Standing at Zuko's legs was his infant son Lu Ten and in Mai's arms was their newborn daughter Ursa. Zuko and Mai had married shortly after the Fire Lord's 17th birthday.

And all that day they partied and feasted and told stories of their shared adventures.

Late that night, Katara and Aang entered their tent and Aang immediately sat down while Katara stood at the doorway.

"That was the best day of my life" he said simply.

"How happy are you?" his wife asked.

"For the first time since my birthday, I feel like a real man."

"How prepared are you to prove that?" she asked seductively, closing the entrance and untying her robe.

**In the Spirit World. **

Aang once again stood before Tao, the Spirit of Balance. Avatar Roku had joined him like the previous visit but this time the other three Avatars who had preceded him had joined him; Avatar Kyoshi of the Earth Nation and founder of Kyoshi Island, Avatar Kuruk of the Water Nation who had lost his fiancé to Koh the Face Stealer, and Avatar Yangchen of the Air Nation.

"Greetings Avatars both current and past" said Tao. The five Avatars bowed to the mighty Spirit.

"Why have we been brought here?" Aang asked.

"There is something very important to discuss" Tao answered calmly.

Aang turned to his past lives. "Why did all four of you come?"

"I felt that wisdom from many generations could be helpful in this situation" Roku enlightened.

"In what situation?"

It was Tao who answered, "Your wife has become pregnant."

"What?" Aang asked. "But we just got…that was the first time we…is…is it always that easy?"

"You just happened to pick a good day" Kuruk said.

"Time is short Aang" Kyoshi said. "There is much you must do in preparation for your children's arrival."

"Did you say 'children'? There's more than one?" Aang asked surprised.

"Katara is carrying quadruplets Aang" Yangchen said.

"Quad…quadruplets?!"

"Calm down Aang" Roku advised.

"Calm down?!" Aang shouted. "Katara and I just get married and already we have to get ready to raise four babies at the same time and I'm supposed to calm down?!"

Aang turned and faced the Tiger Spirit. "Why did you do this?! Why couldn't you let us have one kid at a time when we were ready?!"

ROAR!

Aang jumped back. "Never speak to a Spirit with such disrespect young Avatar" Tao warned. "Many Spirits are not as forgiving and understanding as I am."

"I'm sorry…"

"As for your questions, I did not decide this or make it happen. My powers are of influence, not total control. The type of bender that people are born as is the only thing I have complete control over. This rare occurrence happened on its own, as many things do."

"Well, what do I do now?"

"What Avatar Kyoshi said you should."

"Well…like what?"

"There is much you need to do Aang before your children are born" Roku said. "Believe me, it is not easy."

"And believe me" Kyoshi interjected. "It's even less easy being the woman in the scenario."

"Well what do I have to do?" asked Aang.

"For one thing" Kyoshi answered. "You must take Katara to wherever you two want the babies to be born as soon as possible."

"Why?"

Yangchen answered, "Once Katara is far along enough in her pregnancy, flying or travel of any kind will become too hazardous to your babies' health."

"There are also many kinds of foods that are unsafe for her to eat" Kyoshi added.

"One thing at a time" Aang requested. "Where should they be born?"

"Where do you and Katara want them to be born?" Kuruk asked.

"Doesn't it matter more where the best place for them to grow up is?"

"You're thinking like a father already Aang" Roku said proudly. "He is right. Naturally the Air Temples are an option to be considered."

"But which one is the best one for them to be taken to?" asked Kuruk.

"Hmm" Roku pondered. "Jeong Jeong, the guardian of the Southern Air Temple would be the most able to protect Katara if Aang was not there, performing his Avatar duties somewhere else."

Kuruk argued, "But Piandao of the Western Air Temple may be more inclined to guard Katara with his life if she were in danger, being her brother's sifu. Not to mention his temple is close enough to the Fire Nation for Fire Lord Zuko to send her help."

"Her safety is not all that needs to be considered" Kyoshi pointed out. "Guru Pathik of the Eastern Air Temple seems to be the most able to nurture and help guide Katara spiritually and mentally through this."

"Kyoshi is right" Yangchen said. "But we must also consider that the Northern Air Temple is at this point more stable than the others and that the people there could offer Katara better company and more modern conveniences."

"Balance must be kept!" Tao demanded. "Avatar Aang, is there no place where your wife can be protected _and _nurtured?"

_Who do I know who can help protect and nurture Katara? _Aang wondered. _Wait a minute…Zuko's uncle!_

"What about Ba Sing Se?" Aang posed. "General Iroh has a tea shop and a big apartment there. Not to mention the Earth King is a close ally of mine. Katara would sure be safe and nurtured there!"

"Wasn't the Earth King nearly assassinated by the Dai Li not too long ago?" Kyoshi asked.

"That was over three years ago" Aang replied. "Long Feng ran away and he has no agents to help him, he won't try anything."

"Very well, then Katara should be taken to Ba Sing Se as soon as possible."

"Wait a minute" Kuruk objected. "What if Katara wants the babies to be born in the Southern Water Tribe like her?"

"How stable is the Southern Water Tribe at this point Aang?" Yangchen asked.

"Well, it's still being rebuilt by the Waterbenders" Aang informed. "It's been raided by bandits a few times but they were driven off."

"Whether or not she is actually harmed, too much stress during pregnancy can lead to complications at birth."

"You must convince Katara to go to Ba Sing Se Aang" said Roku.

"Then I will" Aang promised. "Wow, there's so much work to be done."

"Yes. You must protect Katara with everything that you are Aang, for growing in her womb is the fate of your people."

Aang gulped nervously. Avatar Yangchen put her hands on his shoulders. "It is okay Aang. Everything will be okay, for you are no longer the Last Airbender."

Aang smiled. "I'm no longer the Last Airbender. Things are really starting to work out."

Meanwhile in the Fire Nation prison located near the Imperial Palace City, three strange, cloaked figures walked through the corridors. They reached a cell door and approached it. Two guards stood at the entrance.

"No one is authorized to be up here besides us guards or the Fire Lord" one of the sentries said.

With a nod from their leader, two of the cloaked men grabbed the Fire Soldiers by their necks and placed their other hand over their mouths and noses. Their hands were covered by gloves of rock, forged through Earthbending. They bended the rock on their hands to compress and shrink as they tightened their holds. With a twisted snap the guards' necks broke and they died.

"Open the door" the leader whispered.

With two synchronized kicks, the servants smashed the door down. Like their hands, their feet were covered with a thick layer of stone.

The leader entered the cell. In it stood a cage and in the cage laid the former Crowned Princess of the Fire Nation Azula, or what was left of her at this point. After her defeat in the war she had suffered a mental breakdown and had been sent to an asylum. Unfortunately she could not be cured and was too much of a danger so was sent to the high security prison.

"Princess Azula" the leader said scornfully.

"Who's there!" the insane Firebender yelled angrily.

"You know who I am" the man said, removing his hood. He was nearly bald and had a moustache and goatee.

"Long Feng is that you?" Azula asked flamboyantly. "I heard your little plan to kill the Earth King didn't do too good. Poor Long Feng! Without me in control the Dai Li doesn't really have a leg to stand on."

"Open her cell" Long Feng ordered. One of his Dai Li agents stepped forward and slammed his rocky fist into the lock. The other agent opened the door and Long Feng stepped through.

Azula stood up limply. "Oh the big scary Dai Li head that can't kill one itty bitty king is inside of my cell" Azula mocked. "I'm so frightened."

Long Feng stepped forward and socked Azula in her stomach. She dropped to the ground writhing in pain, wrapping both arms around her belly and coughing.

"You betrayed and humiliated me!" Long Feng snapped.

Azula rose and began laughing. "Is that your best shot?" she asked. "That didn't hurt one bit. Try again and see if you can even make it tickle" she added rubbing her belly with her hand.

Long Feng punched her square in the gut again, even harder. This time she spat out blood that dripped onto Long Feng's cloak. She collapsed on the ground, coughing violently.

She rose up again decrepitly, both of her arms wrapped around her stomach and blood leaking from her mouth. "My grandmother can hit harder than that!" she shouted. Long Feng kicked her in the face. She dropped to floor, broken and unable to rise.

"Sir" one of the agents said. "Someone will hear soon."

"You are right" Long Feng said. He held up his hand and ordered, "Earth."

One of the agents held up the gloves on his hands in offering. The stone from them flew to Long Feng's right hand and formed a giant glove.

He knelt down and grabbed Azula by the neck. As he stood he lifted her above his head.

As his grip tightened, Long Feng coldly menaced, "I've waited a long time for this you dreadful, lying, deceitful, evil, backstabbing bitch!" He broke her neck and dropped her lifeless corpse.

"What should we do with the bodies sir?" one of the agents asked.

"Leave them. There's no evidence to indicate we did it" said Long Feng.

"Who is our next target sir?" another agent asked, "the Avatar?"

"No. He is too powerful for us to kill, for now anyway. But don't worry the plans for our revenge will soon be acted out."


	5. Katara is Pregnant

**This story is growing a little slower than I would like it to so will those who already read it please review to help it gain popularity?**

"Aang, why are we going to Ba Sing Se?" Katara asked as Aang loaded up Appa's saddle with all the necessary provisions for a long trip.

"I told you, we're going to visit Toph and Iroh" Aang replied impatiently tying a bag of food down.

"Okay, but why is it essential that we leave right this minute?" she asked, annoyed with Aang's hastiness and lack of even the slightest explanation.

"No time to waste!" he offered as a substitute for a real answer.

Sokka approached holding a platter of food.

"What's with Aang? He looks like he saw the ghost of someone he owed money to in a past life" said Sokka.

"I have no idea" Katara scoffed. "He's been acting like this ever since our wedding night."

"Guess there's a reason Air Nomads are supposed to be abstinent" Sokka observed.

Katara smacked Sokka in the back of the head.

"Aang!" she called.

"Can't talk, must secure extra blankets!" Aang shouted as he folded a bedspread and tied it down.

"Want some sushi while we wait for Aang to regain sanity?" Sokka asked, holding up his platter of raw fish rapped in seaweed and rice.

"Love some" Katara said as she reached for a roll.

"Don't eat that!" Aang boomed as he shot a gust of air forward that knocked the food from Sokka's hand.

"Do you have any idea how long Suki spent making that you…you sushi-hating-bastard?!" Sokka yelled.

"No raw fish!" Aang said shortly. Fish is a meal not safe for pregnant women to ingest.

"Since when do you control what I eat Aang?" Katara asked crossly.

"Since when do I control anything?!"

"Why are you acting so weirdly Aang?!"

"I'm not acting weird I'm perfectly fine, perfectly fine, you know what isn't perfectly fine, I left my staff in our tent and I asked Suki to go get it for me and she hasn't come back. Where is she? Where is she? Where the hell is she?!"

"I'm right here" Suki's voice said as she approached holding Aang's glider.

Aang grabbed his staff and chattered, "It's about time, you know we have so little time, time is of the essence, and there is so little time! Why is there so little time?!"

"Hey how about a thank you?" Sokka suggested.

Aang sighed heavily and forced himself to say, "Thank you Suki!" He then returned to his neurotic work.

"You're welcome Aang" Suki said cautiously. "I'd better get back to the tent; your grandmother is having a little trouble with Hakoda."

"No I'll go" Sokka said. "Aang's creeping me out right now. I don't want to stand too close."

"I'll go too" Katara said. "That way I can at least remember what being around sane people is like."

Katara and Sokka left Suki and Aang alone.

"Sure leave me with the crazy Avatar why don't you?" Suki asked herself. "Oh well maybe I can help."

Aang had jumped to the ground to tighten the reigns on Appa's horns. "Why are these so loose? If they're loose we'll go off course. They shouldn't be like this unless Appa's horn got shorter. Why did you let your horn get shorter Appa? What is wrong with you?!" Aang yelled.

Appa grunted condescendingly.

Suki put her hand on Aang's shoulder.

"What?!" Aang bellowed.

"Tell me what's wrong Aang. I'll keep it between us, brother to sister" she offered.

Aang was taken aback. The knowledge of Katara's pregnancy had shocked him to his core and the decision whether or not to keep it secret was eating away at him.

"Katara is pregnant" he said, calming himself.

"Aang that's great!" Suki beamed as she pulled him into a hug. "Wait a minute. She hasn't said anything."

"She doesn't know yet" Aang admitted.

"How," Suki started as she pulled away, "could you know if she doesn't?"

"I went to the Spirit World. The past Avatars and a Spirit told me. She's going to give birth to four Airbenders."

"Airbenders, that's great…did you say _four_?"

Aang nodded.

"You guys have only been married for a week and you already have four kids on the way?"

"That was my reaction."

Suki wasn't sure how to react so the Kyoshi Warrior merely stated, "Well, this is great news Aang."

"Is it?" Aang asked to no one in particular.

"What do you mean?"

"I know I should be excited but I just feel so nervous."

"Well don't be, you'll make a great dad."

"How? I'm barely a man. I don't know anything about being a father."

Suki chuckled. "Aang you learned three different styles of bending in less than a year. I think you can learn how to be a parent."

"Well even if you're right I still have another problem."

"What?"

"I'm in an unusual position. I know that Katara is pregnant before she does. I don't know if I should tell her or let her find out on her own."

Suki pondered this for a minute. Sounding knowledgeable she said, "Don't tell her."

"Why?"

"Seeing as you'll never know what being a pregnant woman is like I may as well tell you it's very hard. It's a whole personal journey. Part of that journey is being the first one knowing that your baby is coming and accepting it as your own. And you have no idea how worried a mother can be that her husband isn't ready for it. You two won't have that problem because you've had more time to get ready than she has. So experience your part of the journey of parenthood and let her experience her part."

"…Okay" Aang agreed. "Thanks Suki."

"Anytime Aang" Suki said happily.

"You know something; you're a pretty good sister-in-law."

"Aw come here you" Suki said pulling Aang into a hug.

Aang climbed up on top of Appa and made the final preparations for departure.

"Have a safe trip Aang, and congratulations!"

**Meanwhile. **

Long Feng was sitting at a table and sipping some expensive sake from a porcelain cup.

The door to his underground chamber swung open and a Dai Li agent entered.

"Hello Ling" Long Feng said casually. Ling was one of the only two Dai Li agents who did not betray Long Feng when Azula gained control.

"Sir, I have news of the Avatar's whereabouts" the agent informed.

"What is it?"

"The Avatar and his new wife are traveling to Ba Sing Se."

Long Feng chuckled as he emptied his wine into his mouth. "The Avatar has gotten married, how wonderful."

"Sir?" Ling questioned, his eyebrow raised.

"A splendid opportunity has presented itself to us Ling; think hard, you know what it is."

"If something horrible was to happen to the Avatar's wife before he met his own doom, it would make our revenge that much more exquisite."

"Precisely my trusted servant."

"Shall my men and I dispose of her?"

"Not yet, watch them closely, find out why they are coming here, and report back to me. I shall decide when it is time for them to die."

**Two days after the departure. **

"Nothing but smooth sailing through calm winds today Katara!" Aang beamed as he, Katara and Momo soared through the sky on Appa's back.

"Aang could you be quiet?" Katara asked shortly. "I'm trying to fix the quilt you ripped yesterday!" She was sewing together a torn blanket.

"Uh…sorry Katara" Aang apologized.

"Why'd you bring so many blankets anyway? Why would we need any? It's just the two of us!"

"Oh you never know" Aang grinned mischievously as he said this.

"No" Katara whispered dropping the quilt. "You never do."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing."

"No, really."

"Nothing! Ah, why can't I go five seconds without you bombarding me with stupid, meaningless questions?!"

Aang's eyebrow cocked upward. "Katara is there something you want to talk to me about?"

"No."

"Katara I'm your husband. You can talk to me about anything, and I'll do my best to understand, and to be ready for it."

Katara looked away, as though trying to not let their eyes meet. "Well I…"

"Go on" Aang encouraged gently.

"I don't want you to get freaked out Aang, and it might be nothing, but…"

"Yes?"

"I think…I…may be…pregnant."

Aang feinted surprise and said, "Whoa you're pregnant! What wonderful…and completely shocking news!"

"Hey, wait just a Waterbending minute" Katara objected. "Ok, how did you know?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about Katara."

"You know you're a terrible liar Aang, if Toph was here her feet would be going crazy trying to sense your heartbeat."

"All right you caught me. I went to the Spirit World and Tao the Spirit of Balance who looks a lot like a tigerdillo, but without the dillo, told me that we have four little Airbenders on the way."

"Four?!" Katara yelled.

"Oh yeah, you didn't know that" Aang remembered, rubbing the back of his head.

"Four babies, all at the same time" Katara stuttered stupefied and placed a hand over her stomach, imagining how much bigger four babies would make it.

"Yeah won't it be great?"

"I have to give birth four times in the same day!"

"Come on that's no big deal."

"Ugh that's just what a man would say! Aang, childbirth is more painful than anything you'll ever experience in your life."

"How do you know?"

"I've helped Gran Gran deliver plenty of babies; the screaming is pretty hard to drown out."

"Well…it'll be all right."

"That's all you have to say?!"

"Well what do you want me to say?"

"I don't know. It's just…this whole thing has caught me off guard."

"You're telling me? You should've seen how much I freaked out when I found out."

Katara managed a weak laugh.

"Don't worry we'll get through this, that's what husbands and wives do."

**Meanwhile.**

In the Fire Lord's palace the young Lu Ten stumbled about, exploring his small world. He was three-years-old and had just learned to walk. Like his father before him he had been born a Firebender. He was able to speak a few choice words such as "mama", "dada" and "fy fy".

The curious little boy climbed up a chair and leaned at the edge of a table. His father's prized dagger that his uncle had given to him during the Siege of Ba Sing Se had been left there. The snooping tot reached for it thinking it was a toy of some kind.

Suddenly a pair of rough hands picked him up.

"You shouldn't play with knives kid" the man who had lifted Lu Ten above his head said. He was dressed in the same clothes as his caretaker who watched him when his parents couldn't but his face was unfamiliar to Lu Ten.

The stranger said, mostly to himself, "The Fire Lord is the Avatar's friend; the more your daddy suffers, the more that the Avatar suffers."

Lu Ten's smile vanished as the man's smile became crooked and his grip became tighter and cruel.

"Mama!" the toddler called urgently.

"Shut it kid!" the man snapped, throwing his hand over Lu Ten's mouth.

Instinctively, the infantile Firebender spat a small wisp of flames that burned the skin of his assailant's palm.

The man howled in pain and reached for the blade on the desk with his uninjured hand as he dropped Lu Ten.

"Mama! Mama!" Lu Ten called desperately as he sat on the ground in distress.

"Nice knowing you kid!" the man yelled harshly, chucking the knife at the defenseless child.

Suddenly a shuriken flew through the air and struck the knife before it made contact with Lu Ten.

Mai stood at the entrance of the room, holding many throwing weapons.

"What are you doing with my baby?!" she yelled. "Guards, come quickly!"

Immediately many Imperial Firebenders surged into the room and took a stance.

"Kill him! He attacked Lu Ten!" Mai ordered.

Streams of fire shot from the guards' fists towards the intruder as they obeyed.

"Damn it" the attacker muttered. He rushed away from the flames and jumped out a nearby window.

"Catch him!" Mai commanded. "Bring him back alive or dead!"

The Firebenders followed the man out the same window and continued to pursue him.

Lu Ten had begun crying and Mai picked him up and consoled her child. "It's okay, mommy's here" she said soothingly.

She knelt down and picked up her husband's knife. "Zuko won't be happy about this."

**Ba Sing Se.**

Appa landed outside of the Jasmine Dragon tea shop. Iroh walked out the entrance to greet them.

"Hello Aang and Katara. What a pleasure to see you two again" he welcomed warmly.

"Hello General Iroh" Katara hailed as she climbed down from the sky bison.

"Flameo hotman!" Aang exclaimed as he used Airbending to jump down to the ground.

Iroh chuckled, "I haven't heard that expression since I was a kid. Now may I offer you a freshly brewed cup of tea?"

"Sure" Katara answered.

"As long as there aren't any teas unsafe for Katara to drink" Aang warned.

"Why would there be?" Iroh asked.

"You may as well hear about it now. Katara is pregnant!"

A joyous smile appeared on Iroh's face. "Flameo!" he yelled festively, throwing his fist in the air and shooting out a jet of flames.

"Is Toph inside the shop?" Katara asked. "We want to tell her too."

"Yes she is" Iroh answered. "She and I just made a pot of tea made from the Green Jade Flower. Its unique properties are known to increase the health of a pregnant mother and her unborn babies leading to healthiness at birth."

"That's great."

"It also makes giving birth ten times more painful."

"What?!"

"Just kidding."

Aang laughed at this as Katara groaned.

"Now please come inside" Iroh invited. "You must be tired."

**The Fire Lord's war room.**

"What? Someone tried to kill my son?!" Zuko yelled as his chief adviser gave him the news.

"Yes sir" the adviser said.

"Well what happened to him?!" the Fire Lord demanded to know.

"The prince is fine" the adviser assured. "The guards are in pursuit of his attacker as we speak."

"I want him brought back here immediately, by any means necessary!"

"Of course sir."

A soldier entered the room. "Sir, political advisers Lo and Li would like an audience with you" he said.

"Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?!" Zuko hollered.

"Sir I have nothing more to report" his adviser said frankly.

"Fine, let them in" Zuko allowed, defeated. Lo and Li were his sister's most trusted advisers when she was in power. He reluctantly allowed them to stay after they swore loyalty to him.

Lo and Li entered. They were very old women who happened to be identical twins.

"Fire Lord Zuko we have very urgent news" Lo said.

"Make it quick, I have another problem to deal with" Zuko said shortly.

"This may be related to that problem" Li informed.

"Go on."

In unison the elderly twins said, "Azula was found dead in her cell. Her neck was broken."

"What?"

"Someone broke into the prison and murdered her" they answered.

"Who did this?"

"We don't know" Lo said.

"They snuck in during the dead of night and left as quickly as they came" said Li.

"Who would do this?"

"We think they may have been Earthbenders" Lo said.

"Her cell door was broken, not melted" Li added.

At the same time they said, "We think who ever did it is also responsible for the attack on your son."

"Who would want to kill my son and my sister?" Zuko asked frankly.

"Your family has many enemies Fire Lord" Lo reminded.

"Many people in the Earth Kingdom still hunger for revenge" said Lo.

"There are those in the Fire Nation who consider you a traitor" Li said.

"And of course, there is the Water Tribe to consider" they both said. "Anyone could be behind this."

Zuko realized they were right. They only thought they were Earthbenders, they didn't know for sure.

"I need the Avatar's help to solve this" he decided out-loud.

"I agree" Lo said.

"But we have no idea where the Avatar is right now" Li said.

Zuko's chief advisor had not left the room. "Minister Po" he said, addressing him, "get the Avatar back here no matter what it takes!"

"But sir," Minister Po said, "how are we supposed to find him?"

"I don't care! Send a thousand messenger hawks across every square inch of the globe, send a million horsemen off in different directions, write his name in the sky, just get him back here!"


	6. The Dragon of the West

**Sorry I took so long to update. Just had a little case of writer's block but ended up being inspired. **

Long Feng commanding presence stood looming before hundreds of cloaked figures who gazed awed at him as they prepared themselves for his much anticipated speech. They were a mile underground in the resurrected base of the Dai Li, Lake Laogai. The room in which they were was an enormous damp cave, illuminated by dim, green lights. Each of the man stood quietly with an air of discipline and loyalty.

"Loyal subordinates" Long Feng said in a declaratory voice. "After years of waiting the time is finally at hand! After 4 years of attempting to reconstruct itself in the wake of the war's end the Earth Kingdom is now weak; its economy in shambles, its army scattered and disorganized, and its ruler in question for the first time in centuries! Now is the time to strike!"

The men remained silent despite the impact the words had on them. The agents of the Dai Li who had assisted in Long Feng's veiled control of Ba Sing Se had either been arrested and executed by the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation militaries or had fled into exile. Long Feng had spent the years subsequent to the war secretly and quietly rebuilding the Dai Li. Most of the men he had assembled were citizens of the Earth Kingdom especially poor farmers or merchants from the outskirts of the kingdom who had been displaced by the war and driven into desperation by the ravaged state of their nation and the Earth King's harsh taxation (which Long Feng had conceived and enacted himself while he was still grand secretariat to Ba Sing Se). Using what remained of his great wealth Long Feng took these men in, helped them to master their Earthbending and trained them as his agents.

"When the Fire Lord's soldiers came to destroy your homes and kill your families the Earth King was content to sit idly by and do nothing" Long Feng continued. "It is because of him that your lives were in wrecks when I found you. But who was there for you when your wife was defiled and your children crushed under the hammer of a Fire Nation soldier? I was! Who was there when your parents were burned alive and your possessions were scattered all over the road? I was! Who was there when you were forced to watch your home burn to the ground as crowds of screaming, orphaned children ran screaming past you? I was! Who was there when you were a poor, battered refugee trying to sell a dried husk of corn to get enough money to buy a decent pair of shoes to protect yourself from the ratvipers as you slept outside like a common animal? I was! Who was there when every single person you ever cared about was cut down and slaughtered like beasts as those inhuman monsters laughed in pleasure?"

"Long Feng!" the crowd cheered.

"That's right!" their leader said. "And now after all this time in waiting we will finally have our revenge against that selfish tyrant who allowed it all to happen!"

The agents erupted into thunderous applause. "Death to the Earth King! Death to the Earth King!" they chanted.

"No. Not yet at least" Long Feng interjected when the crowd calmed itself. The men appeared confused and disappointed at this remark until he continued, "That would be much too crude. We want more than the simple death of our enemy. If the King dies then another corrupt bureaucrat will simply take his place and things will stay the way they are. If we wish for things in our country to improve we must overthrow the government all together."

Two agents stood adjacent to Long Feng. There names were Ling and Ping, the only agents who had remained loyal to him since before the end of the war. Ling stood at his right, Ping at his left.

"How will we do that sir?" Ping asked. Ping was distinguishable by his brown mustache.

"We will convince the people of the Earth Kingdom to rebel against the totalitarianism regime. We must make them question their required loyalty to the Earth King and once they do they will cease to obey him. Of course we must offer something in return. We will offer them freedom" Long Feng explained.

"Freedom?" Ping repeated.

"Yes my trusted servant" Long Feng said with a dire smirk. "Freedom from the Earth King's tyrannical rule, freedom from the Earth Kingdom itself; that is what we will offer. We will free the citizens of the Earth Kingdom from the King's oppression by establishing a new regime with me as their wise, compassionate leader. It will be a peaceful orderly society with the Dai Li preserving its cultural heritage and integrity for all eternity."

The members of the Dai Li stood in unsure apprehension as they digested the magnitude of their master's proposed plan.

"How will we do that sir?" Ling asked after many minutes of silence.

"Simple," Long Feng answered, "You, the Dai Li agents, will take to the streets of every corner of the Earth Kingdom and tell of the Earth King's autocracy and corruption; you will hide among them, make yourselves out to be simple merchants and farmers as you once were. Tell them of the atrocities of your life and of how the King is to blame for them. When the soldiers come to collect taxes from them and after they have sold their entire crop and have earned but a single gold piece tell the citizens that is a better way than this, that there could be without the Earth King's greed. And you will tell them of me Long Feng, leader of the Dai Li, the only man brave enough to oppose the cruel dictator and give them the option to rally to our cause. Tell them of how we will stand outside Ba Sing Se's great wall and demand fair treatment, and how when he refuses we will bring down the wall and overthrow the entire bureaucracy, casting aside the Earth King and his fraudulent regime and replacing it with a new regime, with me, Long Feng standing as its proud, kindhearted leader, and you the Dai Li always at my side. We will convince the disgruntled leader's within the Earth King's circle to join us and once we rally many subsectors to our cause we will have them succeed from the Earth Kingdom, forming our own perfect Kingdom; the Kingdom of Laogai! And once our Kingdom and our army grow to formidable stature we will take back Ba Sing Se and it will be forever under the control of the Dai Li!"

The agents of the Dai Li burst into a frenzy of excited cheering. "Long Feng! Long Feng! Long Feng!" they jolted as they applauded.

"Now go!" Long Feng commanded. "Take to streets! Travel to the farthest corners of the Earth Kingdom! Do as I have instructed and await further orders, but do not reveal yourself, if the King detects a whisper of our plot it will all unravel. It may take months, even years, but we _will _have our revenge and our freedom!"

As the agents dispersed and prepared to receive individual assignments of which part of the Kingdom they were to travel to Ling and Ping, being the most trusted and highest ranking of the members stayed with Long Feng.

"Sir," Ling began, "what are we to do about the Avatar?"

"He is the King's ally" Ping reminded. "He is also powerful enough to stop us single-handedly."

"Do not loose a moment's sleep over this conundrum my servants" Long Feng assured confidently. "We will deal with him and his friends soon enough."

Meanwhile in Ba Sing Se, Iroh was instructing Toph in the proper technique in brewing the perfect pot of tea made from the rare Green Jade Flower.

"The secret is in the timing" the intelligent old man instructed Toph as she carefully added the tealeaves into the boiling water. "If the tea is given too much or too little time to settle it will become bitter. You must find balance and moderation." Iroh's tea making lessons tended to include messages that could be applied to more than just tea.

Iroh allowed Toph to judge for herself the proper amount of time for the leaves to ferment as he wanted her to gain experience. Finally after patiently critiquing the potency of the water, she removed the small kettle from the fire. Iroh took a small sampling cup and poured himself a glass, as Toph anxiously awaited his verdict.

After taking a sip of the drink Iroh closed his eyes as though he was deep in thought and considered his conclusion. "It is wonderful" he said after about 30 seconds.

"However," Iroh interjected, "there is still room for improvement. You left the kettle on for slightly too long, and while it did not turn the brew bitter, it is not as good as it has the potential to be. It was a common flaw of Earth; you were waiting patiently for the right moment to act, but the fault with this logic is that sometimes while you are waiting the proper time to strike appears but you do not notice it. Learn to judge with superior accuracy the perfect time to act and your combat and tea-brewing skills will rise dramatically."

"I will, you can count on it" Toph promised.

"I will my old friend" Iroh said as he placed the kettle on a tray. "Now come on, we should not keep Aang and Katara waiting any longer."

"Aang and Katara are here?!" Toph shouted happily as she jetted to her feet.

"Yes and they have brought wonderful news with them."

Toph and Iroh exited the kitchen and entered the Jasmine Dragon. It was the end of the day so it was completely empty save for one table occupied by Aang and Katara. As usual of these visits Appa peeked his gargantuan head through the entrance of the restaurant curiously as Aang's flying lemur Momo rested on his head.

"Well if it isn't my favorite softies" Toph greeted as she entered the room, holding a tray of porcelain cups. Toph often regarded Aang and Katara as such due to the fundamentally gentler nature of the elements Air and Water.

"Nice to see you too Toph" Katara returned, taking the affectionate tease lightly.

"Hi Toph" Aang said as he rose to his feet. Toph had been Aang's Earthbending teacher but they still retained a casual friendship.

"I hope being married hasn't softened you two up too much" Toph teased playfully. "I worked too hard to get your mushy bones into Earthbending shape for that to go to waste."

"Not a chance of that happening" Aang chuckled.

"Is that right?" Toph responded as she raised a mischievous eyebrow. "Think fast, Twinkletoes!"

Toph stomped the ground and launched a stone statue into the air, and with a punching motion sent it flying towards Aang's face.

Fast as lighting, Aang caught the statue in his hand and set it on the ground.

"You'll have to get up pretty early in the morning to get me with that old…" Aang started before the ground shifted under his feet and he was thrown off balance and tossed to the floor.

"Sifu one: pupil zero" Toph boasted. She then walked over to Aang as he rubbed his sore bottom and offered him her hand. "Now get up here and give your teacher a hug before I smash you into the ground."

Rolling his eye Aang took Toph's hand and rose to his feet and did as he was told. After he did Katara walked over and embraced Toph as well.

"Now what's this good news Iroh was telling me about?" Toph asked after they all sat down and were given a cup of tea.

"Well it's pretty big" Aang said. "I told Iroh. Do you want to tell her Katara?"

"Sure" Katara agreed. "Well... (She took a deep nervous breath)…sorry I'm just really excited. I'm pregnant!"

"What?!" Toph shouted, flabbergasted as she stood up so fast that she knocked her chair aside. "That's…holly…oh my…that's great!"

"I know!"

"You guys must be so happy" Toph said as she sat back down.

"We sure are" Aang replied, though the tone of nervousness that he had since the Spirits have told him of this had not totally disappeared.

"I remember when my beloved first became pregnant with my Lu Ten" Iroh said reminiscently. "Oh how I miss them both. There is nothing in this world that compares to becoming a parent."

"I'll bet" Toph responded. "But I don't think that's for me. I don't really see myself as having a crying sack of poop tied to me all day."

"Well that's not all…" Aang said hesitantly. "…We're uh…going to have _four_ crying sacks of poop tied to us all day."

"What?"

"Katara's carrying quadruplets."

"What?"

"What?" Iroh said at the same time as Toph.

"Wow" Toph said after a few moments. "That's a lot of poop."

Having seen pregnant women before, having had a son, a niece and a nephew, Iroh noticed that Katara was not showing enough to be far along in her pregnancy.

"How could you possibly know of this?" Iroh asked, stroking his beard.

"I went to the Spirit World" Aang explained. "My past lives told me."

"I see," Iroh, said turning suddenly serious. "The Spirits must feel this is very important information if they told you this soon."

Aang had not thought of this. But now that Iroh had said it he realized how it made sense. Somehow there must have been something significant he was to draw from knowing this fact. As he could think of nothing he decided to tell Iroh more, feeling that he was much wiser than him and could figure it out.

"All four of them will be born Airbenders" Katara informed before Aang could, apparently figuring this out before him.

"How interesting…" Iroh said as he became lost deeply in thought.

"I guess that makes one for each of the temples" Toph stated simply. This struck everyone as a great revelation.

"This is true" Iroh said. "Perhaps your offspring are meant to become the leaders of the Air Temples. The Northern Temple was once the capital of your nation, correct?"

"It was" Aang confirmed, thinking he knew what Iroh was pondering.

"Then if my assumption is correct you should make your firstborn leader of that temple. It would be the child's birthright." Iroh was of course basing his ideas on his knowledge of how Fire Nation hierarchy worked.

"Well it isn't exactly that simple" Aang replied. "The leader of the Northern and Southern Air temples would have to be a man and the leader of the Eastern and Western temples would have to be a woman."

"And there won't be a firstborn" Katara added. "They'll all be born on the same day."

"One of them will still be born before the others" Toph pointed out.

"True."

"But back to what Aang said" Iroh cut in. "He brought up a valid point. If there are more children of one gender then you may have to break tradition's rules if you wish to rebuild the Airbenders. It seems the ideal situation would be for you to have two boys and two girls."

Katara's curiosity was triggered by this comment so she asked, "Aang, the Spirits didn't happen to mention what genders our kids will be, did they?"

Aang felt stupid after she asked him this. This was easily a question he could have asked The Spirit of Balance or any of his past lives but he had been too preoccupied by his initial shock to even think of it. He figured that Tao would think that he having two boys and two girls would be best for keeping balance but he also did not know if the tiger controlled that at all, seeing as he never mentioned it.

"Uh…no…they didn't" Aang said as he quietly scolded himself. "The Spirit I spoke with made it so all of them will be Airbenders but he didn't say anything about that."

"Wait!" Iroh interrupted. "Do you mean Tao, the tiger Spirit of Balance? The Spirit believed to decide who is born a bender and who is not."

Aang nodded. "What do you know about him?" he asked.

"He is rumored to be one of the most powerful spirits in existence. He created Sozin's Comet."

"What?"

"Like the Avatar he has command over all Four Elements. Except in some ways he has even greater command, because he also controls the spiritual essence of the Elements, so he can bend in the Spirit World and in the Physical World. He is one of the few creatures with the ability to travel freely between the two worlds. He gave the powers of bending to the original sources; he gave Airbending to the sky bison, Waterbending to the Moon and Ocean Spirits, Earthbending to the badgermoles, and Firebending to the dragons. According to legend used Earth and Fire to create a force so mighty that it would cause the planet's balance to shift so dramatically that when it was equalized it would be perfectly balanced. The force was Sozin's Comet. He understands that evil must always counterbalance good for balance to exist because without evil there is no good. Because of this he has committed great acts of both evil and good to keep balance. He created Sozin's Comet and allowed the war to start, but he also helped it end. He created and distinguished between the chakras, allowing mankind to better control its physical, mental and spiritual energy and allowing the Avatar to gain control of the Avatar State. If not for that then you and your past lives would have killed my brother Ozai Aang."

Aang gulped down his breath as he heard this revelation. He had known that Tao had power over bending and could control other things but he never imagined that the tiger spirit had this big of an impact on the entire world. It made it seem impossible that anything had happened without his influence.

Toph then asked a quite poignant question. "Wouldn't the war have ended even if Aang did kill him? Does it really make a difference other than what Aang wanted to do?"

"It does make a difference" Iroh said. "If Aang had killed Ozai it would have been seen as a divine act of harsh justice. The Fire Nation would have agreed to end the war out of fear of him, not out of true remorse. To many Ozai would have died as a martyr, a hero. History would have seen it has more senseless violence; a leader killing a leader to enforce his will. Nothing would have changed; it would have been one power usurping another. But Aang's act of supreme kindness and mercy made the world view it from a different perspective; even though Ozai's ancestors had committed genocide against Aang's people and he himself had tried to kill him he still had the capacity to spare him. Aang was an example for the world; an example of peace and true justice. He wasn't going to peacefully end the war by striking Ozai down in rage; he would end it by making his influence shine brighter than his."

This made Aang feel better than he was before; this reassurance of his judgment was comforting.

"You're right" Katara agreed. "You did the right thing sparing Ozai Aang."

In that moment the sky turned orange as the sun began to vanish behind the clouds.

"Oh I must hurry!" Iroh said as he rose to his feet.

"What is it?" Katara asked.

"Today we ran out of ginseng and black tea leaves. I'll need to buy some more before the shops close. We also broke one of our kettles; I'll need to replace it. Unfortunately for me the merchants who sell them are all in different parts of the city. With all of this excitement it seems I forgot. I also need to sweep up the store before I go" Iroh explained as he prepared to go into town.

"I'll help" Aang offered.

"So will I" said Toph.

"Me too" added Katara.

"I can use my glider staff to get to whatever is the farthest away" Aang said.

"Hmmm" Iroh considered. "The merchant who sells the kettles I like lives in the Middle Ring of the city. He is the farthest away."

Aang picked up his staff and opened its wings. "I'm on it" Aang said. Iroh took the needed money out of his pocket, gave it to Aang, and told him where to find the merchant and what kind of kettle to buy. After he did Aang ran out the entrance and became airborne.

"I know where to buy black leaves" Toph said. Iroh repeated the same process as with Aang and Toph left.

"Well I guess I can stay here and sweep" Katara proposed.

Ordinarily Iroh may have objected to this seeing as Katara was pregnant but seeing as she was still in the early stages of it, sweeping was not a strenuous activity, and he did not wish to insult or patronize her he agreed, lending her a broom and then leaving to buy ginseng.

The initial thrill of helping out quickly dissipated as the moments of brushing the floor with the broom became dull and monotonous for Katara but she was not one to abandon an important task just because it was boring. Though as the seconds turned to minutes and the minutes turned into dozens she wished that someone would come back or something interesting would happen.

After about a half hour a lone man wearing a straw hat entered the shop through the doorway.

"I'm sorry but we're closed" Katara told him politely.

The man did not react.

"Are you here to visit Iroh?" she asked. The man merely shook his head.

A subtle whistling sound came from the outside and the man removed his hat, revealing his face. He had a brown mustache and green eyes.

"My name is Ping" he said simply. "My daughter has gone missing and I am searching the city for her. I have a picture of her, perhaps you have seen her."

"Oh that's awful" Katara said sympathetically. "Let me see the picture, maybe I have seen her."

Ping pulled a piece of parchment out of his sleeve but released it as a small gust of wind blew it to the center of the shop.

"I'll get it" Katara kindly assured as she knelt down and grabbed the paper. Then she noticed something odd; the sheet was blank. As she became confused she looked up and saw a foot swinging at her.

POW!

Ping kicked Katara in the head and knocked her onto the floor.

"Grab her men!" Ping yelled. Half a dozen Dai Li agents, including Ling, surged into the shop and formed a circle around Katara. Two of them grabbed her arms and forced her to her feet. Ping formed a glove of Earth in his right hand and grasped Katara's neck in it.

"Great job Ping" Ling praised. "The Avatar's wife; she is as much of an enemy of our master as her husband. Not to mention her demise shall upset him so greatly that his anger will blind him and make him reckless, making him a much easier target. Finish her."

"You're all making a big mistake" Katara warned gravely.

"Nice talking with you" Ping said as his grip tightened. Before her neck could snap, Katara inhaled through her nose and as she exhaled she used Waterbending to freeze the vapor in front of her and Ping's arm became totally incased in a block of ice and he lost his steadiness and stumbled away.

Katara then took a stance and swung her arms above her head, calling the leftover tea in the kennels to her, creating a protective field around her.

"Kill her!" Ling ordered.

One of the agents launched his rock gloves at Katara's head only for her to use the tea to splash it aside and the formed the tea into a ball and propelled it towards the assailant. The still hot tea burned the man's skin and he fell to the ground groaning in pain.

Ling snarled in anger and he stepped forward, causing straps of rock to grip Katara's feet and pulled them forward, causing her to fall on her back. Two other agents strapped her arms to the floor and Ping fastened an Earth strap around her waist.

"Well you're a fighter, I'll give you that" Ling complemented shallowly. "But in the end it is Earth that is the superior element."

He then formed the glove of rock on his hand into a sharpened spike shape and prepared to launch a barb at her neck.

Thinking quickly, Katara swished around the saliva in her mouth, concentrating it and spat. She instantly froze the spit into a sharp icicle that struck Ling in the face, cutting a huge gash in his cheek.

Ling jumped back shouting in pain as he gripped his cheek in his hand. "Kill her Ping!" he shouted vengefully.

"Don't think that fancy spitting trick will work twice" Ping warned as he prepared for the death blow, tightening the strap around her waist with Earthbending to make it harder for her to spit.

As she felt her stomach tighten Katara then remembered the children that grew inside of her womb how they would perish if she did. And so she did something she would never have done when normally faced with an enemy.

As Ping prepared to kill her Katara begged, "Wait! Don't please! I'm begging you! I'm pregnant! You'll kill the baby too!"

"She's lying" one of the agents scoffed.

"I don't think she is" Ping said as he looked into Katara's eyes.

As he recovered, Ling walked over and said, "It doesn't matter! We've got a job to do! Kill her Ping!"

Ping hesitantly maintained his stance. "But…she's pregnant…" he muttered.

"Fine!" Ling yelled impatiently. "If you aren't man enough to do it then I'll kill her myself!"

Ling raised his right hand in the air and prepared to stab Katara in the neck with his sharpened Earth gauntlet.

Suddenly, a blue flash of lightning shot through the air, blasting through Ling's glove and scorching his hand.

Iroh stood at the entrance of the restaurant, a rare serious look on his face. For one of the few times in his life his voice contained no trace of humor or lightheartedness as he said, "You are so committed to your goal that you would actually murder a pregnant woman?! I will hold nothing back!"

"It's the Dragon of the West; the Fire Lord's uncle!" one of the agents yelled.

"Kill him!" commanded Ling as he bitterly cradled his nearly destroyed hand.

The agents all launched their gloves at the Iroh but the retired General cast a wave of flame around his body that parried the projectiles off to the side. He then shot an orb of fire from his fist that struck the agent closest to him and as the agent fell to the ground he hit his head so hard he was nearly knocked unconscious.

A second agent charged at the Dragon of the West, his arm outstretched like a spear, his gauntlet acting as the spearhead. Iroh grasped the man's arm and lazily flung him to the side, throwing him into an inexpensive vase that shattered as his head was bashed into it.

Another agent kicked up a boulder from the ground and shot it towards the old man. Iroh quickly charged a bolt of lightening in his fingertips and it darted forward faster than a bullet, incinerating the boulder and striking the man on the shoulder. The man fell to the ground, prostrate and defeated.

The fifth agent pulled a knife from his sleeve and snuck up behind Iroh and prepared the thrust it into his heart. The master Firebender pirouetted to face him and gripped the attacking arm, flinging the man to the ground, and then a decisive, controlled punch to the head rendered the man out cold.

Now Ping was the only agent left able to face Iroh. He stepped forth and set a ripple of Earth forward to grip Iroh's feet and take his stability, but the old master saw this move coming an ocean away. The Dragon of the West leapt in the air and kicked a wave of fire forward with his left foot. The blaze knocked Ping back a dozen feet and he crashed into a large pot used to boil large quantities of water, and it shattered.

"Retreat!" Ling ordered. The agents who were still awake carried the others who weren't and ran out the door. Ping and Ling remained and Ping rushed forward to distract Iroh as Ling ran to Katara, the knife the other agent had dropped in his left hand.

"Katara!" Iroh yelled as Ping prevented him from making his way to her.

Before Ling could reach Katara as she laid defenseless a massive rock soared through the air and slammed into his back.

Toph had returned from buying tea leaves and was now inside the shop, fully prepared to protect her friend.

"Let the lady go and no one gets hurt bub" she cautioned.

"There's too many Ling!" Ping shouted. "We have to get out of here! The King will have us executed if they catch us!"

Ling nodded angrily as he stood and quickly summoned a cloud of dust from the floor and outside that covered them as he and Ping escaped.

"Guess I should have swept better" Katara joked.

"I can't see them with my feet" Toph said as she couldn't detect the escapees with her Earthbending. "They must have somehow escaped deep underground."

Toph then released Katara from the rock shackles and she stood up.

"Are you all right?" Iroh asked. Katara nodded.

"Thanks guys" she said gratefully. "But it's not over. They're going to go after Aang!"

Toph and Iroh gasped in unison.

"I can find Aang with my Earthbending faster than you can Iroh!" Toph said quickly. "I'll go find him and you stay here and protect Katara!" As she said this she sped out the door.

"How did you know I was in danger?" Katara asked Iroh.

"The animals of this world have many things to teach us" Iroh said as he motioned to Appa and Momo as they stood proudly outside the shop. "Momo found me and Appa brought me back."

"Thank you, all of you. I don't want to think what would have happened if you weren't here. But I can't escape the feeling that this is just the beginning."


	7. Long Feng's Revenge

Aang carefully scrutinized the new kettle in his hands as the merchant in front of him was attempting to recall its price.

"That'll be 12 copper pieces" the merchant said after Aang decided the pot resembled what Iroh had described.

Aang removed a coin purse from inside his sleeve and counted the money. He handed the trader the coins and prepared to depart.

Aang suddenly detected something odd. Toph had taught him her method of using Earthbending to sense the vibrations in the ground and use that to distinguish shapes and motions without the use of his eyes, though his skills weren't quite as sharp as hers, seeing as he could also rely on his eyes while Toph was totally dependent on this ability due to her lack of vision; with this power he felt the form of a man with a fast heartbeat slowly approaching him. As the ground vibrated he felt the shape of knife being quietly drawn as the person approached.

As the man thrust his blade forward, Aang lifted his right leg backwards, launching a pillar of rock upward that ensnared the assailant's hand.

"No I don't have eyes in the back of my head" Aang teased as the man stood shocked and viewing spectators gasped. "I have eyes on the bottom of my feet."

The man grunted angrily as he tried to pull free of his fabricated handcuff.

"I used that same trick on Fire Lord Ozai" Aang boasted, still not viewing this attempt as a serious threat. "My guess is you aren't a bender if you had to use a knife to attack me."

The agent's response to this was to kick the stone pillar to rubble and to jump over the top of the kettle shop and flee.

"He must be an Earthbender. I probably shouldn't let him get away" Aang decided lazily as he opened his staff's wings. He placed the kettle on the merchant's counter.

"Keep this safe for me until I get back please" Aang said as he leapt into the air and gave pursuit.

Aang saw the man scurry across rooftops and leap from place to place in an attempt to shake him, but the last Airbender kept pace with him easily. Finally the stranger halted as he came to a brick water main that led to the sewers of Ba Sing Se.

Aang landed a few inches from the man.

"The must be the first time you've ever tried to kill someone" Aang said lightheartedly. "I'll be honest; you aren't that good at it."

The man swiftly took a blowgun out of his sleeve and pressed the end to his lips. He puffed a breath of air and a poison-tipped dart was launched at Aang.

Aang held out his hand and a small spherical current of air gently stopped the projectile and it dropped softly into his hand.

"Poison-darts and knives? I thought you were an Earthbender" Aang jested as he still believed he was in no danger.

The man grunted and lifted the lid of the sewer main and disappeared into it.

"I guess I'd better stop him" Aang said casually as he glided over to the main.

As Aang prepared to follow the man, suddenly he felt the weight of another person latching onto him as the curved edge of a knife's blade was pressed against his jugular vein.

"For my master!" the strange person yelled.

Aang was in too much shock to react quickly as the man prepared to slit his throat.

BAM!

Aang felt and heard something impact his attacker incredibly hard, so hard that he was forced to release him as he flew half a dozen feet away.

Aang turned around and saw Toph, a large rock encasing either of her fists.

"Your reflexes are getting slow Twinkletoes" Toph said as she wagged her index finger. "I'm not going to always be around to save your ass you know."

"Uh…thanks Toph" Aang replied embarrassedly as he rubbed the back of his head.

Toph looked over to where the man had fallen with her Earthbending. She realized he was gone and could not feel where he was.

"Damn I didn't hit him hard enough!" she cursed. "Damn!"

"It's all right Toph" Aang assured. "They were just common bandits."

"No they weren't Aang!" Toph emphasized. "They were assassins!"

"What? How do you know?" Aang asked, still trying to shrug it off.

"Seven of those guys just tried to kill Katara!"

"What?!" Aang shouted as he finally understood the direness of the situation.

"Don't worry, she's safe. Iroh saved her and he's with her right now" Toph informed him as his anxiety grew.

"I have to get back to the shop now!" Aang said as he prepared to take flight again.

"What about me?" Toph asked shortly.

"I can get back there faster by flying so either grab on or meet me there" Aang said as his patience diminished.

"You know how much I hate flying Aang" Toph reminded. "I'll walk."

"On second thought" Aang said mischievously. "With all these assassins running around it probably isn't a good idea for any of us to be alone."

"Don't you dare…!" Toph warned as Aang grabbed her and took off, forcing her to hold onto the glider.

Meanwhile back at the Jasmine Dragon, Iroh and Katara were informing General How, the leader of the Council of Five; the five highest-ranking generals in the Earth Kingdom military who had happened to be close by during the incident of what had happened.

After hearing the report, the General said, "It is a relief that you are all right. I wish we had known earlier that the Avatar was expecting children and would be arriving in the city today. We would have provided extra security for you and you husband."

"Well it doesn't look like we need much extra protection with Iroh around" Katara replied jokingly.

"Yes" How acknowledged dryly. "Well either way we have reason to suspect that Dai Li agents are responsible for the attack, though we haven't been able to pick up Long Feng's trail since he tried to assassinate the King three years ago. But the two men you mentioned, Ling and Ping, matched the descriptions of his highest-ranking and most loyal agents. You said Ling was missing his right little finger, correct?"

Katara nodded. This was true; Ling had not had his right pinky finger since a Fire Nation soldier severed it from his hand when he was six.

"Have they attempted to attack your husband yet?" How then asked.

"I don't know" Katara answered.

"I can answer that" Aang's voice said as he and Toph soared into the shop.

As they landed Toph dizzily staggered and said, "I hate you. And so does my stomach." She dropped to the floor and acted as if she would vomit.

"The answer is yes" Aang said. "Dai Li agents tried to kill me but Toph saved me."

Katara and Aang dashed over to each other and embraced, both happy that the other was alive.

"Your Holiness" General How said as he bowed respectfully. "It is good to see you. I know that you may have objections to this idea but in the wake of recent events King Kuei respectfully requests that your wife be kept in the Royal Palace where she will be safe until the children are born."

Aang being an Air Nomad and having been taught to live in a completely different manner than they way the people of Ba Sing Se did, he was not keen on the idea.

"With all do respect General, I can take care of my wife" he answered.

"Aang" Katara input.

"Yes?"

"I agree with him."

"What?"

"I don't like the idea of being shut up in a palace all day any better than you do, but it's not about me. The fate of these babies (she placed her palms on her stomach) is more important than anything else in our lives. We have to keep them safe. We don't have any higher priority."

Out of the blue, the cawing sound of a hawk could be heard. A messenger hawk of the Fire Nation flew into the Jasmine Dragon and began cawing to get attention when it landed on a table. Aang walked over to it and took the letter out of the container on its back. The hawk cawed once more and departed.

"It's from Zuko" Aang said as he opened the scroll and read it.

"What's it say?" Toph asked.

Aang read, "Aang, come back to the Fire Nation as soon as possible. It's an emergency of the upmost importance. For security reasons I cannot tell you now in case the letter is intercepted. Come back to my palace and I'll explain everything."

"Would have been nice if he was a little more specific" Toph jeered.

"I'm not going" Aang said flatly.

"What?" Katara asked.

"You're pregnant and you just got attacked. I'm not leaving you" Aang stated vehemently.

"Aang Zuko wouldn't have asked you to come if it wasn't important. He said it was an emergency."

"You said we don't have any higher priorities than the safety of our children."

"I'll be fine Aang. I'll be safe in the palace. I know you want to be here to protect me and I want you here too, but you're still the Avatar and you have duties to the world you can't ignore."

Aang resented greatly how strong her argument was. Finally he conceited, "All right, I'll go see what's wrong with Zuko but I'm coming back the first second I can."

And so Aang drifted through the sky on Appa's back for many days as he made his way back to the Fire Nation and Momo acted as his traveling companion.

"I sure hope Zuko has a good reason for this, guys" Aang said. Appa grunted and Momo chirped in acknowledgement.

After three days Aang stood once again in the Fire Lord's palace.

"Announcing the arrival of his Holiness, Avatar Aang!" said the Head Sage as Aang entered Zuko's throne room.

The Fire Lord rose happily as his old friend entered his chamber.

"Welcome back Aang!" he greeted as though he was relieved. "I was starting to think you would never get here."

"This had better be important Zuko" Aang snapped impatiently.

"Wow, I thought I was supposed to be the one with the short temper" Zuko said as he was taken aback by Aang's outburst.

"Not to seem rude, but you couldn't have picked a worse time to summon me."

"Why is that?"

"Someone tried to kill Katara a few days ago."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Zuko stroked his chin in a way imitating his uncle when he was thinking. "Were they Earthbenders?" he inquired

"…How did you know?" Aang asked, now finally having some tolerance for this visit.

"An Earthbender tried to kill my son Lu Ten, and Earthbenders _did_ kill Azula. That's why I summoned you."

"…What?" Aang replied quietly.

"Bring him in!" Zuko ordered. Imperial guards entered the room, pushing a large rolling cart that had a wooden coffin placed on the top of it.

"This is what's left of him after my guards chased him down" the Fire Lord explained. "You can look but it's not a pretty sight."

Aang's curiosity initially overpowered his antipathy towards death but as he opened the coffin's lid he quickly regretted this judgment. The charred, mangled corpse of the smote mercenary was by far the most gruesome site the young Airbender had ever laid eyes on. Burned scars ran so far up and down his body that it was impossible to tell what he had looked like before his death. His neck was twisted in such a crooked spiral that it was obvious he had be slain in an awful struggle. Aang would have looked away instantly, if not for his desire to find out more about the people who had attacked his wife.

"You can stop looking if you want" Zuko offered, understanding the Avatar's kindhearted nature. "My men have already searched him for evidence."

Aang slowly shut the coffin door. "I don't envy the guy whose job it is to do that" he said morbidly.

"Why do you think it isn't mine?"

Aang then recovered enough from the horrid image to ask, "Why didn't your guards try to capture him alive, for interrogation?"

"They tried" Zuko sighed. "But he put up one hell of a fight. Next thing you know they're aiming for his neck instead of his legs and he's lifeless. Mai did tell them to bring him back dead or alive."

"I think the Dai Li are behind this attack too. Long Feng has a grudge with Azula."

"That would make sense. But why would he go after Lu Ten too?"

"My guess is revenge" Aang said after he thought carefully. "Maybe he thought you and Azula…well you know…got along, so he thought that taking her nephew's life would make his vengeance more intense."

Zuko for some reason shied away at this remark. He seemed angry at something but hid it well. "Then why would he slay her first?" he asked quietly.

"Lu Ten lives in a royal palace and she lived in a prison; she was easier to get to" Aang rationalized.

"No. That wouldn't make sense; the assaults were too well-planned, too organized. They planned to kill her first" Zuko said solemnly.

Aang was shocked at this. He didn't have a response ready for that circumstance so he said the only thing that seemed logical, "Maybe he was trying to hurt you."

"Why? What did I ever to do him?"

"You're his enemy's brother. He probably doesn't know that you two always acted like you hated each other."

"I do hate her!" Zuko suddenly burst, shaking the entire room.

"Wow, calm down Zuko" Aang said as his heart nearly crawled out of his mouth. "I know you two fought, but she was your sister."

"So what?!" Zuko scoffed. Aang recognized this type of anger. He had seen Zuko this angry only back when he had been recently freed from the iceberg he had been frozen in for 100 years and Zuko had been burned and disowned by his father and his only way to return home was to capture Aang, the Avatar and offer him to Fire Lord Ozai. He had long overcome this inner turmoil when he had helped Aang end the war but now it seemed he had retained some of it.

"Zuko…" Aang began hesitantly. "You're sad that Azula's gone, aren't you?"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Zuko exploded. "You know we hated each other! What does it matter that she was my sister?!"

Aang gasped as he realized something incredible. "She may have hated you…but you never _truly _hated her…Even with all she had done to you, she was still your little sister and you…loved her."

Zuko shouted in rage as flames blasted from his mouth and fists. "NO! Now enough of this! We have a more important issue to talk about. If Long Feng tried to destroy our families once he'll try it again. We have to stop him before he succeeds. Do you have any idea where he is?"

"No" Aang answered disappointedly. "He's probably somewhere in the Earth Kingdom though. I can search his old headquarters, Lake Laogai and see what I can find there. Were there any witnesses of Azula's demise you can interrogate?"

"I don't think so" Zuko said as he himself tried to remember. "Unless…"

"…Unless what?"

"Nothing, forget it. No one saw it."

"But did someone _hear _it by any chance?"

"…No…"

With his Earthbending abilities Aang felt Zuko's heartbeat skip and his breath shorten.

"You're lying. It may be worth mentioning that Toph taught me how to detect lies. Well who is it? Who's the witness?" Aang insisted professionally and firmly. His voice was strong and unshakable; this mysterious witness could be the key to ensuring the safety of his family. He would not let that opportunity be lost.

"It won't help Aang" Zuko said sadly.

"Tell me."

Zuko turned his back and sighed heavily. "…There's…a prisoner who may have heard or seen something" he informed tentatively.

"Who?"

"…My father, Ozai."


	8. Fire Lord Ozai

**Note: I discovered that "chi" is also considered an accurate spelling of the word so I will use that seeing as it is more well-known to English-speaking readers.**

Guru Pathik sat at the top of a shrine overlooking the rest of the Eastern Air Temple, meditating tranquilly. The full moon beautifully illuminated the black sky and the light emitting from it shone down upon the wise Guru.

"Is something wrong Chang?" the wise Guru asked calmly, somehow realizing the man was there without opening his eyes.

A man emerged from behind a rock wall and awkwardly approached Pathik. He had not meant to be seen, he was talking a walk and wished to be alone. He was a former Earth Kingdom soldier, an Earthbender as well, though he had left service after he had lost his right arm in battle.

"I was just taking a walk" Chang said uncomfortably. Chang was one of the many injured and displaced soldiers and benders who had taken refuge in the Eastern Air Temple after the war had ended. Guru Pathik had continued living at the temple to help guide and nurture the refugees.

"It is awfully late to be taking a walk my friend" Pathik responded softly. "You should get some sleep, you seem tired."

"I don't really sleep anymore" Chang informed in a matter-of-factly manner. "Not since this happened." He pointed to the armhole on the right side of his shirt sleeve.

"All injuries heal with time my friend" Pathik comforted. "But I do not think that is what you mean."

"…It isn't" Chang hesitantly admitted. He had not spoken of the horrors of the war to anyone, but something about the strange Guru's kind, understanding nature caused the instinctive locks to open. "It's the nightmares. Every soldier has them, anyone who has witnessed war."

"Yes" Pathik said, nodding his head but with his eyes remaining shut. "Though not every soldier's nightmares are the same; tell me, what are your personal struggles?"

Chang shook his head, and whispered "It's too horrible Pathik."

"Tell me" Pathik offered gently. "Sometimes just talking about something makes the pain of it a little less intense."

Chang bowed his head. The desire to release his pain was too great. Finally he submitted and told, "When this happened. (He again pointed to what remained of his arm) My parents' house was being burned down with them and my sister inside of it. By the time that Firebender was finished with my arm, I couldn't do anything to help them. It was so scorched up that when it was over they had to chop it. It was like having a dead snake attached to my shoulder. If I didn't let that happen my family might still be alive."

Guru Pathik finally opened his eyes. "You have indeed endured great pain my friend" he said as he felt the condition of his chi. "But all wounds heal in time."

"I don't care about my arm" Chang said decrepitly. "The pain of having it burned off was nothing compared to losing my family."

"That is what I meant" Pathik explained patiently, seeing as he obviously didn't expect Chang's arm to grow back. "The grief of your loss has indeed upset your inner heart. Your Air Chakra is blocked; your grief is stopping your chi from flowing freely, but one day love will again find its way to you and reopen it."

That morning, on a balcony at the Southern Air Temple overlooking the mountain range two boys were tossing a toy to one another that belonged to a smaller, younger boy who stood in the middle of them as he jumped up to try and reach it.

"Give it back! Give it back! Give it back!" the little boy pleaded as his tormentors laughed cruelly.

"Try and make us!" one of the bullies shouted mockingly.

Just then the guardian of the temple Jeong Jeong appeared among the three children. The Earth Kingdom children stood frozen in fear of the Firebending master. Though they were young, the instinctive fear of Firebenders had been instilled in them by their families with terrifying, nightmarish tales of them burning villages to the ground and slaughtering hundreds of innocents. Though the soldiers who had guided them from their razed homes had ensured them that the old Firebender in charge of protecting the temple was kind and not like the Firebenders who had invaded their land, few of the refugees had an easy time believing that claim, though few refused to go on this ground, seeing as they had no other home or place of sanctuary.

All three of the boys reacted as if a man-eating bear stood before them as Jeong Jeong said nothing. Nonchalantly the old master reached for the bully who had the little boy's toy. The bully cringed in fear, expecting a ball of fire to melt his eyeballs from inside their sockets. Instead Jeong Jeong took the toy from his hand and gave it to the little boy who took it hesitantly.

"Do not take things that don't belong to you" Jeong Jeong advised calmly and rationally, much to the boys' mutual surprise. "As long as we all live in this temple we must learn to get along and show each other respect."

The two boys who had been bullying the youngest one nodded and left quickly. Jeong Jeong turned to leave as well.

The boy who Jeong Jeong had defended was nervous at first but then called, "Wait!"

Jeong Jeong stopped and turned to face the boy.

"Thank you" the boy said. Without thinking he instinctively bowed politely and added, "Master Jeong Jeong."

The aged Firebender seemed taken aback by this; the thought of a child from the Earth Kingdom thanking him for anything was incredibly foreign and yet…revitalizing. Jeong Jeong smiled and bowing he replied, "You are welcome."

Meanwhile Master Piandao was awake early at the Western Air Temple, doing routine stretches to stay loose.

As he stayed calm, with his acute sense of hearing he heard a subtle clanking sound off to the distance. He then realized that he had forgotten to bring his sword with him when he had left his new bedroom that morning. He left to investigate the metallic noise.

Piandao walked to around a pillar and stopped when he saw the source. He saw a young woman of no more than 15 years holding his jian in her hand and attempting to replicate sword fighting forms, to little avail.

As she continued with this Piandao watched patiently, silently critiquing her form.

After two minutes had passed Piandao emerged from his hiding place and said, "Hold your arm closer to your body."

"Master Piandao!" the teenager shouted, fearfully surprised. Her shock caused her to drop the weapon. She picked it up carefully and rapidly apologized, "I am so sorry master. I didn't mean to wake you. I swear I was going to give your sword back. I'm so sorry I took it." She placed the sword in her palms and offered it to the old man.

"I didn't say give it back" the swordsman replied. "I said hold your arm closer to your body."

"…What?"

"Like this" Piandao said as he took the sword and demonstrated a forward thrust, keeping his arm pressed close to his body as opposed to wildly swinging it about as she had done. "There's no focus in the way you were doing it. Keep your power centered."

He handed the sword back to her. Confused at first, she repeated what he had done.

"Much better" the sword-master praised. "Continue."

The girl smiled and continued practicing with Piandao's sword. Other than occasional corrections he interrupted only once to ask, "What's your name?"

"Jing" she answered with a grin.

Meanwhile back in the Fire Nation Aang and Zuko waited in a prison interrogation room for the guards to bring in the former Fire Lord Ozai.

"Do you want to speak with him alone, or should I do it, or should both of us?" Aang asked.

"I need you here to detect lies, and I have a few choice words for him. We'll speak together" Zuko decided as he said it.

"I don't know if I can detect his lies" Aang informed.

"Why not?"

"Azula was able to lie without Toph being able to detect it. Ozai might be even worse than her; he may be able to lie without me catching it."

Zuko thought about this for a few minutes. "I don't think he can" he told Aang.

"Why?" asked the Avatar.

"Azula probably could lie without detection because she used to have complete control over her emotions; she was cold and calculating, not emotional and energetic like normal Firebenders. That's how she could generate lightning so easily. But my father is more like other Firebenders, he lets rage and passions fuel his strength so I think he feels it when he lies, even if he doesn't regret it. I also think that even if he used to be able to, he can't now, seeing as he's been stripped powerless and robbed of his throne I don't see him as having that kind of control left."

"Maybe you're right" Aang concurred.

The door to the room burst opened and two guards forcefully shuffled the withered heap that once was the world's most powerful Firebender into the room and threw him into a chair at the end of a small table that together were the only contents of the room.

Sitting up lazily, the former Fire Lord merely said, "Why can't you just leave me to die in my cell peacefully?"

Zuko ignored this comment. "We have some questions to ask you" was all he said.

Ozai did not respond.

"Azula was murdered and my son Lu Ten, your grandson was nearly dealt the same fate. I'm sure you already know that though. What the Avatar and I want to know is, did you see or hear anything that might give us a clue about the people who did it the night it happened?" Zuko asked roughly.

"No" Ozai said shortly.

Aang felt Ozai's body react to his statement.

"He's lying" said Aang. At least now they knew Aang could sense Ozai's lies.

"What did you see?" Zuko asked sharply.

"Why should I tell you two?" Ozai scoffed. "You my son are nothing but a traitor and as for you Avatar, well everyday of my life has been a living hell since you stole my Firebending. I will tell you nothing."

"Typical" was Zuko's immediate response. "But Azula was always your favorite. Don't you want us to bring the people who broke her neck to justice?"

"Justice!" the former Fire Lord flared. "Justice oh that is rich! What do you naïve fools know of justice? As I recall you both are so weak and without a sense of justice that when either of you had a perfect opportunity to kill me, you didn't have the spine. You won't avenge my daughter; you won't kill the people who murdered her. So then why should I tell you anything?"

"A sense of justice?" Zuko repeated. "As _I _recall you define justice as scarring a 13-year-old boy permanently just because he spoke out of turn! Would you rather I turned out to be a cold-blooded murderer like you and Azula?"

Ozai merely sighed.

"Tell us what you saw!" Zuko demanded, as flames expelled out his mouth.

"Or what?" his father asked. "You won't kill me if I don't and you won't torture me to get me to. You have nothing to threaten me with; there is nothing more you can take away from me; you already took my bending and my throne."

Zuko growled in frustration. He took Aang over to a corner of the room and spoke quietly with him.

"He's right" Aang said. "We don't have anything to threaten him with."

"Well then what do we do?" Zuko asked impatiently. "Can't you make him tell us Aang?"

"What? How could I do that?" Aang replied.

"Don't you have some kind of Avatar power that can force him to tell us?"

"No. The Avatar doesn't have any powers like that. Maybe we could offer him something in return, like better prison food or something."

"It's worth a try."

They reproached the table.

"What do want in return for the information?" Zuko asked calmly, yet still obviously resenting being in this man's presence.

Ozai cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" he asked tentatively.

"You live in a prison; there has to be something you want. Better food, better clothes, more blankets and soap, a bed; what do you want?"

"There is but one thing I will trade for this information" Ozai said calmly.

"What is it?"

"_You _cannot give it to me" Ozai snapped. He turned his head to Aang and smirked evilly. "You can Avatar."

"What?" Aang replied, shocked.

"Give me my Firebending back Avatar and I will tell you everything you want to know."

"What? No way!" Aang shouted.

"That is my only price" Ozai said as he smiled proudly.

"No deal! I don't even know if I could" Aang responded. Aang had meant what he said, the ways of Energybending were still shrouded in mystery to him; he had used it only once in his entire life, when he had eliminated Ozai's Firebending abilities. He knew little else of its capabilities and whether of not he could restore the former Fire Lord's power if he wanted to.

"It's a shame" Ozai said. "Won't it be dreadful when those horrible men come in the middle of the night to kill your family?"

"It would be no different than if I returned your Firebending" Aang said. "The only difference would be that it be you doing it."

"If you give me back my bending I promise no harm will come to either of you or your loved ones" said Ozai.

Aang felt the falseness of this statement with his Earthbending. "You're lying."

"Aang is right" Zuko said. "Even if we could, we won't return your Firebending."

"Aang?" Ozai repeated, looking to the Avatar. "So that is your name; Aang. Never in my life did I think a Fire Lord would have the audacity to be on a first name basis with the Avatar, his mortal enemy."

"It's not the first time it's happened" Aang interjected. "My past life Roku was once best friends with Sozin, your grandfather."

"What?!" Ozai spat, clearly offended.

Seeing this gave Zuko satisfaction and unlocked a natural barrier in his mind. "That isn't all" he added. "He was my great-grandfather!"

"We all know that Sozin was your…" Ozai began.

"That's not what I meant!" yelled Zuko. "Avatar Roku was my mother's grandfather!"

"What?!" Aang said at the same time as Ozai.

Ozai slumped in his chair and sneered, "It figures she was the spawn of treacherous scum."

"Don't talk about her that way!" Zuko demanded.

"Oh did I strike a nerve son?" Ozai teased.

"Don't call me that" Zuko ordered. "It doesn't matter who created me; Uncle Iroh is my father. But at least I can call Ursa mother."

"Or at least you used to be able to."

Aang knew in that instant that if Zuko's rage would now become like flame doused in gasoline.

"Where is she?!" the Fire Lord boomed. "My men turned that Earth Kingdom village upside down to find her, but she wasn't there! You lied to me! Where is she?!"

"…She wasn't there?" Ozai asked confusedly.

"Tell me where she really is!"

"I don't know where she is! If she wasn't there then I don't know!"

"You're lying!"

"Uh…Zuko" Aang said cautiously. "He uh…isn't lying." He felt they were getting off-subject, but knew better than to say anything.

Zuko's eyes widened as his friend told him this. He began breathing heavily but then he regained control of himself.

"See this?" Zuko said as he pointed to his left eye. "This is where my scar used to be before my friend healed it. If my mother had known that you, her husband, would be the one to do it to me, she probably wouldn't have had second thoughts about leaving. She left because you were heartless enough to even consider ending your own son's life. I'm just glad she wasn't here to see what a greater monster you've become. Let's go Aang."

He opened the door and readied to leave. Aang slowly followed him. As the Fire Lord peered after them, he appeared genuinely surprised.

"W…wait" Ozai beckoned. The Avatar and the Fire Lord halted. "…The men who killed Azula were Dai Li agents. There were three of them. Long Feng was one of them. I recognized the other two; they had fled the Fire Nation before the war had ended because they were still loyal to Long Feng. They names were Ling and Ping. Ling is missing his right pinky finger. When they left they said something about their other targets."

"Other targets?" asked Aang.

"Your wife for one" Ozai elaborated. "But if you're here I'm sure you already know that. They didn't know you were married then but they still knew that would aid in their vengeance."

"Who else did they name as a target?" Zuko asked.

"They said something about a warrior who left his mark on Long Feng when they tried to assassinate the Earth King."

Aang's chest nearly exploded in shock. He knew what Ozai was speaking of; his friends had told him of everything that had transpired in that incident. When the rest of Team Avatar was preoccupied fighting off Dai Li agents, Long Feng had the perfect opportunity and pinned the Earth King down as he prepared the killing blow but before he had the chance a metal boomerang sang through the air and cut a gash in his forehead. He was so near death the entire Dai Li had to retreat. The thrower of that nation-saving boomerang was none other than Aang's brother-in-law.

"Sokka!" Aang yelled as fear gripped his heart.

"Sokka?" Zuko repeated dismayed. Sokka was one of Zuko's closest friends; Zuko had bonded closely with Sokka when he had aided him in a mission to rescue his father from the Boiling Rock Fire Nation Prison. "Oh no…what else did you hear?"

"That's all I know" said Ozai. Zuko looked to Aang.

"Everything he said was the truth" the Avatar confirmed.

"Then we don't have a moment to loose. Let's go Aang" Zuko said as Aang jetted out the door. Zuko lingered for a moment.

"…Father…?"he started.

"What?" Ozai asked quietly.

"Thank you."


	9. Fathers

**I just want to take this opportunity to thank all my wonderful readers. Your reviews and loyalty make it all worth it. This is for you guys!**

"I am disappointed in you, my agents" said Long Feng as he passed before the seven Dai Li subordinates who had been sent to dispatch of Katara, including Ling and Ping as they met in their base in Lake Laogai. "I am disappointed because when charged with a simple task that was vital to the success of our mission you were thwarted in your efforts by a pregnant woman, a fat old man, and a blind little girl."

"Sir," Ping spoke up. "If I may they were bending masters."

"Is that so Ping?" Long Feng said slyly as he walked over to him. "Tell me are you not Earthbending masters? Were you not selected for this mission because you seven were the most capable fighters the Dai Li has to offer? Evidently not, seeing as now the Avatar's wife and children still draw breath and now they are aware of our continued existence."

"Sir," Ling interrupted, "if I may, the failure of the mission is my fault. I had the opportunity to kill the Avatar's wife but I let it slip through my fingers. I was the leader of the assignment and I should have had the foresight to know she would not be alone for long. As second-in-command I take full responsibility for the failure of the mission."

"How noble of you Ling" said Long Feng. As he strolled over to his right-hand man he noticed him cradling the charred remnants of his right hand. "What happened to your hand?"

"The Dragon of the West struck it with a bolt of lightning. I doubt that it will ever heal" said Ling gravely as he failed to move his fingers that were now dyed a crippled shade of black.

"Very well seeing as you take responsibility for the failure I will only punish you this time" Long Feng said as if he was being fair. "The rest of you are dismissed with a firm warning, for now. All but Ping, you will remain here for a moment."

"Yes sir!" all the agents answered gratefully. All but Ping left.

"Come with me Ling" Long Feng invited. "We will tend to your hand and decide an appropriate punishment."

"Yes, sir, Long Feng."

With his Earthbending, Long Feng slid opened a stone door that led to a separate chamber of the base and filed into it along with Ling.

The only thing inside of the room was a large makeshift table made out of an unrefined slab of rock. Resting on the table was a simple metal brace that appeared to be half of a handcuff nailed down to the desk.

Long Feng unfastened the brace and held it up. "Put your hand here" he instructed. Ling had no idea how this could aid in the healing of his hand, but his trust in Long Feng was absolute. He slid his wounded hand under the cuff, and Long Feng refastened it and firmly locked his hand in place.

Long Feng then reached into his sleeve and pulled out a shining, faultless gem.

"What is this Ling?" he asked as if it was relevant.

"A diamond, sir" Ling answered obediently.

"Exactly, and a rather beautiful one at that, tell me, do you know what a diamond begins its life as?"

"I believe it starts out as coal sir."

"Precisely" Long Feng said with the kind of forced pride a kindergarten teacher has when his student learns that one and one is two. "Ironic that something as crude and simple as a lump of coal can become the world's most magnificent gem, is it not?"

"Quite ironic sir" Ling said robotically.

"It is not an easy process I am sure you know" the Dai Li head continued condescendingly addressing Ling as if he was a child. "Even when the coal becomes a diamond it is not a beautiful gem; it is a ragged dirty rock, but jewelers carefully clean them and, this is the most important piece of all, smooth out the rough edges, making the diamond a rare gem as opposed to a simple stone."

"Yes sir."

"A diamond is perfection Ling" Long Feng went on. "In order for perfection to be achieved the rough edges must always be smoothed out. This is true of our lives as well. The Earth Kingdom in control of the Dai Li is perfection but there are rough edges that must be smoothed out. Azula was a rough edge, but we smoothed her out quite nicely."

"Yes sir" Ling said as he caught the double-meaning of 'smoothed out'.

"The Avatar is a rough edge, a particularly coarse one, one that the diamond cannot be perfect with. His wife is a rough edge, a smaller one, but one that must be smoothed out for perfection to be acquired. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

Long Feng smirked maliciously as he approached the table. Quickly and cruelly he ensnared Ling's broken hand in his grasp, causing him to grunt in pain.

"For another example" he said evilly. "This hand is a rough edge and it must be_ smoothed out_."

He then retracted to the table's edge, and with his Earthbending, rose up a large boulder that had been hidden from Ling's sight and raised it above the table. Ling gasped in fear as he realized what he was about to do.

"Please don't sir!" he pleaded.

"Sorry Ling, but the Dai Li has no room for rough edges" Long Feng responded coldly.

"I have always been your most loyal and trusted agent sir!"

"And after all these years, my most loyal and trusted agent has finally failed me."

Outside of the chamber, Ping's ears rang with the deathly screaming of his colleague.

Long Feng casually exited the room, alone.

"Good news Ping" he said happily. "You are promoted to second-in-command."

Ping's eyes widened. "What about Ling?" he asked gravely.

"He will remain on as my _left-hand_ man" the leader joked darkly.

Ping swallowed his on own breath, though regardless he calmly asked, "What is my first assignment sir?"

"This facility is compromised" Long Feng informed. "The Avatar knows we are after him so he will search here first. Evacuate all the remaining agents and destroy all evidence we were ever here. And I have special assignment that I can only entrust to you. You're going to be taking a trip to the Fire Nation."

"The Fire Nation?" Ping asked confusedly.

"Yes. We have some unfinished business there."

As this happened, in the Fire Nation Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko stood on the balcony of the palace as the sun set thinking about what had transpired.

"I can't believe Ozai actually told us what we wanted to know" Aang said.

"I know" agreed Zuko.

"Let me ask you something Zuko" said Aang. "You told him Iroh is your real father but when we left you called him father and thanked him. Why is that?"

"Well Aang, I know that since you're a monk you don't know about this but, when you have a father, even if he's the worst father on earth…he's still _your _father you know. I wasted three years of my life chasing you so that he would love me, I didn't stop because I stopped caring…I guess I just…gave up hope of that ever happening."

Aang took this in slowly. He was standing at Zuko's left and noticed something odd. Zuko's eye was now completely healed, his brow and lashes were even fully re-grown; there was virtually no difference between it and his right eye and yet Aang thought, even though he didn't think it was true that his left eye appeared to squint harder than his right, as if it was so used to the scar being there that it acted as if it still was, that the scar had changed it so much that it would never be truly gone.

Aang then understood the pain within Zuko and realized how much of a close friend he must have considered him if he was willing to tell him that. He said, "Believe it or not, I know what it's like to have a father."

"How is that possible?" Zuko asked.

"Air Nomads may not be raised by their parents but they are raised by a guardian. My guardian was my closest friend Monk Gyatso. He may not have been my father, but he might as well have been; he raised me since I was born, he taught me everything I know about Airbending and he loved me with all his heart."

Zuko seemed surprised. He knew only about the Airbenders what his biased society had allowed him to, and seeing as they had destroyed that civilization themselves, they did not look fondly back on them.

"But let me ask you something" said Zuko. "Do you ever wonder about your real parents? Do you ever wonder who they were?"

Aang felt a strange connection with Zuko, him being from a broken family and Aang not having one at all.

"Air Monks are supposed to be detached from the rest of the world but I think at some point everyone of them wonders about their families, though they never admit it."

"Do you know anything about your family?"

"...One day my mother stumbled into the Eastern Air Temple, she told the sisters she was in labor and begged for their help. She gave birth to me and then died before they found out who she was. When they found out I was an Airbender they sent me to the Southern Air Temple to begin my training."

"They knew you were an Airbender when you were a newborn?"

"Airbenders show their talents earlier than any other type of bender. Newborn Airbenders are indentified early and then sent to the temples. You see, the Air Temples weren't the only part of the Air Nation, for example if you look at a map you'll notice that Whale Tail Island is colored white. The rest of the nation was made of humble villages. When the people living in them discovered they had an Airbender child they sent him or her to the temples to be trained and never saw it again."

"Why would they send it to be trained if they would never see their own child again?"

"The life of an Airbender is a life of freedom, adventure and spiritual enlightenment. Anyone in the Air Nation who wasn't an Airbender envied them. People whose families produced an Airbender wore it as a badge of honor, even if they never played a role in that baby's life other than naming it."

"Why would the Air Nomad's want to separate a child from his family?" Zuko asked, always having wished he had a loving family and not seeing how not having one could be a good choice for anyone.

"A monk is supposed to separate himself from humanly attachments so his spirit can be free" Aang said as if he was quoting a textbook. This was always a part of Airbender morality he had trouble following; he had always valued Gyatso as a father and had acted on his feelings for Katara despite romance being forbidden for Air Nomads.

"…What about your real father?" Zuko asked hesitantly.

"What?"

"You knew that you mother was gone but did you ever think about your father; did you wonder who he was, where he was or ever think of looking for him?"

"…I'm about to tell you something I've never told anyone; not Gyatso or Katara, no one. When I ran away from the Southern Air Temple my first…deluded fantasy was to find my father and start a new life with him, but then I realized how ridiculous that was and just kept flying south."

As Aang said this, Zuko pictured himself on his lonely Fire Nation frigate, sailing across the cold sea in a desperate attempt to capture the Avatar and win his father's affection.

"I don't think that's ridiculous at all Aang" he said. "Wanting a father, a family, that's not ridiculous."

"Thanks Zuko" Aang replied. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure Aang" replied the Fire Lord.

"Never tell anyone I said any of this. I've given the Air Nomads enough reasons to be ashamed of me."

Meanwhile in the Southern Water Tribe, Hakoda stood by himself as the sun rose over the icy tundra and the light bathed the little village in what small amount of warmth it had to offer. He was preparing to say goodbye to his son; Aang had sent a letter saying he would be visiting them soon and would need Sokka and Suki to return to Ba Sing Se with him as well as revealing Katara's pregnancy to them. It seemed as though the war had just ended yesterday and already Hakoda would again be separated from both his children. Though he realized he had to get used to it; they had both come of age years ago, they were adults. How they lived their lives was their choice.

"Good morning Hakoda" said the voice of Master Waterbender Pakku of the Northern Water Tribe. 4 years ago, Master Pakku had married Hakoda's elderly mother Kanna and was now his stepfather.

"Pakku" the Chief merely said.

"I'm worried about Katara too" Pakku said in a way that seemed like forced understanding.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know, newly married with a baby on the way. It's the stuff that keeps a father up at night. You probably wish you could be there for her right now, or that someone asked you to."

Hakoda impatiently raised an eyebrow as he said, "My mother told you to come out and talk to me didn't she?"

"What would make you think that?"

"You've been living in this tribe and married to her for four years and you've maybe said 5 words to me. Now all of sudden you're talking to me as if I'm your stepson?"

Pakku, clearly out of his element while trying to continue, replied, "Well…you are my stepson…aren't you?"

"Since when do you care?"

"…W…what do you…I'm not sure I know what you mean" the aged Waterbender stuttered.

"I'll be honest Pakku, I never liked you" Hakoda explained simply.

"W…why not?" asked Pakku.

"My mother leaves the Northern Water Tribe and travels from one side of the world to the other in the effort to avoid marrying you, 60 years later you show up with your fancy betrothal necklace, and it just happens like that all of a sudden."

"…Well in the Northern Tribe it was an arranged marriage but she didn't realize that I truly loved her but when she saw I had held onto her necklace for so long…well I guessed she thought it was sweet."

"Whatever" scoffed the Chief of the small tribe. "That's not the only problem I have with you."

"Well then please explain" urged Pakku.

"You said you're worried about Katara too. Did you even notice that Sokka is leaving today as well? Do you even care?" Hakoda asked scornfully.

"What?" Pakku asked as though he was clueless.

"Do you know that you've never once hugged Sokka or even called him your grandson? But you were so eager to tell Katara the wonderful news when you and my mother got married! I don't think a good grandfather plays favorites with his grandchildren."

"…Well…I don't mean to."

"Of course you don't; it's just in your nature."

"Excuse me?"

"I know your type" Hakoda said disdainfully. "You're a bender-supremacist."

"…I'm sorry, what?" Pakku said shortly, now losing the patience he had forced himself to have.

"Don't play stupid" Hakoda responded. "You don't care about Sokka because he isn't a Waterbender. Even though you're also sexist you still favor Katara because in your eyes a woman Waterbender is better than a regular man."

Pakku seemed to resent his stepson's tone. "If I was a bender-supremacist as you claimed then why would I love your mother, who is clearly not a Waterbender?" he asked.

"Like I said, your sexist too" replied Hakoda. "If she's not a Waterbender you feel like you're in charge, that you're the significant one. You're a sour, old inferior-feeling man who needs to feel important. That's why when she left you needed to become the best Waterbender in your village, to compensate for how empty you feel inside."

It could be seen on Pakku's face that he was dismayed and offended. "Look Hakoda, I know that I'm not the friendliest man on Earth, but I'm trying here, I'm your father now."

"You are not my father understand?!" shouted Hakoda. "My father was a proud warrior who died protecting this village from the Fire Nation while you and your Waterbenders sat by and did nothing! You don't care about anyone but yourself. You wanted to marry my mother because you see her as a possession, you don't care about Sokka because you don't have any use for him and you only care about Katara because she's a Waterbender so you see her as an extension of you, and you're only trying to be a father to me because my mother wants you to."

Pakku gasped in astonishment as this tirade escaped Hakoda's mouth. His head sunk lowly for a minute as he felt genuinely hurt. He placed his hand gently on Hakoda's shoulder and said, "Look…son."

Hakoda shrugged off his hand. "I don't need a new father" he said. "And I don't want one."

Hours later Sokka, Suki, and their infant son waited at the edge of the tribe as the time Aang promised to arrive drew nigh. Their grandmother Kanna, also known as Gran Gran, Pakku and Hakoda were waiting with them.

The Southern Water Tribe had changed in the years subsequent to the war. Rather than being a miniscule bunching of tents guarded by a thin layer of snow it was more like what it had been previous to the war. Large igloos and buildings of ice had been restored by the Northern Waterbenders who had journeyed with Pakku to help the tribe rebuild. Though most momentous of all, native children had been discovered to posses the gift of Waterbending and now unlike the others who had been born during the war, now had people to teach them.

"I can't believe Aang told you Katara was pregnant and not me" Sokka said slightly bitterly to his wife.

"Don't get upset Sokka; he wanted it to be a surprise" Suki replied comfortingly.

"I guess. But come on I'm the brother! When someone finds out with Spirit magic that they're going to have a baby they tell the brother."

A low grunting sound emitted from the air above, indicating that Appa was approaching.

"Looks like Uncle Aang is here" Sokka said as he tickled his son while Suki held him in her arms, causing the baby to giggle happily. "Is your Uncle Aang here? Yes he is, yes he is."

"You always know how to make Little Hakoda laugh Sokka" Suki said as her grin grew wider.

"You're a natural father all right" said the baby's grandfather from who his nomenclature was derived. As he said this comment that indicated a man without bending could have worth he shot Pakku a condescending look.

"….Uh yes Sokka" said his step-grandfather. "You certainly are an excellent parent."

"Uh…thanks Pakku" said Sokka in a way that suggested that he was as shocked as if he had just seen Aang, a vegetarian, eat a giant bloody steak.

"Please, call me Gramp Gramp, or Granpakku, I know you like that name" Pakku invited with forced sincerity.

"…You said if I ever called you that again you would skewer me with an icicle like a fish" Sokka reminded as if he was trying to snap Pakku out of a trance.

"Oh you're always so funny too!" Pakku exclaimed as he made himself laugh, "…grandson."

"Is he drunk?" Sokka whispered to Suki, who shrugged in response.

With that the mighty sky bison Appa landed with a thud, the Avatar atop his head.

"Hello family-in-law!" Aang proclaimed as he leapt from the buffalo's head and landed in the snow.

"There's my little brother!" Sokka boomed as he embraced Aang and rubbed his had with his fist affectionately.

"Hi Aang" Suki welcomed as she hugged Aang.

"Hello Aang" Hakoda greeted as he extended the same salutation.

"Hi Sokka, Suki, Hakoda" Aang responded as he strained to breathe under the weight of the group hug.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me dad before it sinks in?" Hakoda asked when they pulled away.

"Sorry dad" Aang politely apologized.

"Hello Aang" Kanna then greeted.

"Hi Gran Gran" Aang replied. Kanna then hugged Aang too. Not being as familiar with her, he felt awkward, but got over it quickly. Kanna had much respect for Aang; his return had restored hope to her heart as well as the rest of the world.

"Hello Master Pakku" Aang then said, bowing respectfully.

"Hello Pupil Aang" returned Pakku as he bowed.

"So…getting back to business" Sokka started, "…looks like I'm going to be an uncle!"

"You sure are Sokka" Aang confirmed. The emotional Sokka crushed Aang's ribs in a joyous hug.

"So Katara's going to go through her pregnancy in Ba Sing Se then?" Suki asked.

"Yes" Aang nodded. "But I have something very important I need to take care of that will take a while. That's why I asked you two to come with me; she'll need some company."

"Not a problem at all Aang" Sokka assured. "Little Hakoda will love Ba Sing Se (he began tickling the infant and speaking in baby-talk again) won't you? Yes you will! Yes you will!"

"Are you coming with us Chief H…sorry….are you coming too dad?" asked Aang.

"No" Hakoda replied sadly. "I wish I could but we're still rebuilding. I'm the chief so I have to be here to look after the tribe. Tell Katara I love and miss her though."

Aang nodded. "Will do dad."

"Well we aren't going to get to Ba Sing Se standing here" declared Sokka. After many hugs and goodbyes Aang, Sokka, Suki, and Little Hakoda soared through the air on Appa's back.

Hakoda, Pakku, and Kanna stood looking after them.

"See, I can be friendly to my grandson" Pakku said proudly.

"I didn't ask you to patronize him" Hakoda snapped as he turned around and began walking away.

Pakku snarled in anger. His patience was gone. "You know, you seem to have little trouble asking Aang to treat you like his father!" he shouted.

"He never had a real father" Hakoda said, mostly to himself as he disappeared from their sight.

"That boy just won't ever accept me" Pakku sighed.

"Don't take it personally Pakku" said Kanna. "He's been through much with the war. He admired his father greatly. But it's not only that; unlike Aang he is grown. He doesn't really need a new father now, but there may still be a place for you in his heart, if you can find it."

"Maybe you're right" Pakku conceded. "But I don't think he wants me to find it."

Five days later, the previous Fire Lord Ozai sat lazily in his cell, another of his many incarcerated days filled with nothing more than the impatient wait for death's merciful embrace.

The guard in charge of bringing food entered the room and lazily dropped the tray of nourishment on the floor.

The guard then removed his keys from his belt and approached Ozai's cage, which was something out of the ordinary.

"What do you want now?" said Ozai idly as his cell door swung open, remembering being forced into the interrogation room days prior.

Quick as a flash, a cruel, stone hand snared Ozai's throat.

"The Dai Li does not appreciate squealers" Ping's voice said. "You're Majesty!"

The screams of agony permeated the entire prison.


	10. Rebellion

**Sorry about the wait, but I hope all of my readers had happy holidays and will have a great New Year!**

A line of Earth Kingdom villagers stood filed near the gate at the entrance of the town during tax collection day. The tax collections were being overseen not only by Earth Kingdom soldiers, but by Fire Nation combatants as well. A collaboration agreement had been met by the Earth and Fire Nations; the Fire Nation soldiers would stay behind to assist in the reconstruction of the Earth Kingdom and in return the Fire Nation army would be allowed to completely withdraw unconditionally in five years. It was not a settlement the entire Earth Kingdom had an easy time coping with; the citizens of the Earth Nation were terrified of the Fire Nation, they simply wanted their army to leave immediately, however the Earth King was aware that the military of his nation alone was not large enough to rebuild the nation on its own, especially after the war had greatly thinned its numbers, so he and the Fire Lord felt they had no choice but to order the Fire Nation army to help with the reconstruction.

A young man reluctantly dropped a handful of coins into the collection box that an Earth Kingdom colonel held in his palms. Two Earthbender soldiers stood beside him and three Firebenders stood uncomfortably behind him.

"The tax is 20 gold pieces" said the colonel when the young man attempted to walk away.

"Last time it was 10!" the man retorted.

"The tax had doubled to aid in the relief effort" the colonel explained. "We all have to do our part in rebuilding our nation."

"Relief effort?" the man repeated. "Our village was destroyed during the war; we're the ones who need help."

"You are required by His Majesty the Earth King to pay 20 gold pieces for your taxes" the colonel said uncaringly.

"I don't have 20 gold pieces" the man said impatiently. "I had to buy food yesterday."

"Next time you will be expected to pay 30 in that case" the colonel said. The crowd murmured quietly. 30 gold pieces was easily worth twice what anyone in the humble farming village made in a month.

"That's outrageous!" the man shouted.

"You have no choice. I'm sorry but we must all do our part in restoring our great nation to its former glory."

The soldier closed the box and turned to leave.

The man he had demanded pay more than what he could afford for his taxes stood breathing heavily. He scowled and retaliated, "What do you know about the Earth Kingdom's glory, you damned hypocrite?! You say you want to restore our country and yet you and your taxes suck us dry of our wealth and force us into poverty. And while we struggle desperately to grow enough crops to earn money sufficient to appease the King and our hunger you sit in your warm expensive bases, stuffing your faces with those dirty Fire Nation savages!"

The colonel halted but said nothing, not wanting to give the tirade of a peasant any validity.

"Those barbarians burned our cities and villages to the ground and slaughtered thousands of our innocents and yet you stand beside them as if they're your allies" the man continued.

"The new Fire Lord is not like Ozai" said the colonel. "The Fire Nation has repented its malicious ways. They are our allies now."

"Is that so?" the man questioned. "They sure weren't my allies when they killed my parents and turned my house into a smoldering pile of embers. They weren't your allies when thousands of your soldiers rode into battle against them, knowing they wouldn't return. They weren't our allies when every single man, woman and child in this country lied awake at night knowing that they weren't safe because any day an army of Firebenders could come and destroy everything and everyone they loved!"

For a while everyone was silenced in awe by this remark. Instead of the colonel it was one of the Firebenders who answered after the quiet drifted for minutes. He removed his helmet and spoke calmly. "I know the people of my country have wronged you" he said. "I cannot speak for everyone in my nation but I am deeply sorry for all of your troubles. It is true there are some soldiers who don't regret what they have done but you must understand that we all once thought that the war was the Fire Nation's way of sharing our prosperity with the Earth Kingdom. It came as a great shock to most of us when Fire Lord Zuko told us the truth. I am deeply sorry for what happened in the war and hope that in time the people of our countries can stand side by side again."

The young, angry man stared blankly at the soldier who had spoken. He seethed with hatred as he yelled, "I know you; you killed my father!"

The man ran at the Fire soldier.

"I did?" asked the soldier confusedly, not remembering the man's face.

The young man kicked up a desk-sized rock with his Earthbending and prepared to strike down the soldier. Before he could however, the colonel stepped between them and batted the young Earthbender down with the back of his arm.

"That's quite enough of that" said the colonel. "The next time you consider using your Earthbending to attack a soldier, consider this; you now owe 45 gold pieces to the Earth King."

The soldiers then left, but the Firebender who had spoken up stared back, guiltily.

The other villagers helped the young rebel to his feet.

"You have some real guts" a man about his age said.

"You were right. Everything you said was right" an old woman said. "The idea of the Earth King making us coexist with those savages is disgusting!"

"We hate them!" another man said. "They should just go home!"

"Yeah!" an old man said. "My wife was killed by the Fire Nation!"

"It's a shame that now you have to pay extra taxes just for telling the truth" said a young woman. "It's not your fault you attacked that soldier, any of us would have done the same thing."

The man nodded. "I can't afford to pay 45 gold pieces by next month" he said grimly. "And if I don't pay they'll put me in prison."

"We'll help you" another woman said.

"Yeah if we'll each chip in a little and you'll be able to pay your taxes" said a man.

"No" said the rebel. "I can't ask you to sacrifice your income for me."

"You can't let those soldiers push you around though!" said an adolescent boy.

"I know" the rebel replied. "That is why I will not pay my taxes at all the next time they come."

"What?" said one person.

"You can't do that!" said another.

"You'll be severely punished!" another warned.

"So?" asked the rebel. "Those soldiers will tax me of everything that I am as I am forced to look passively into the eyes of my father's killer. What can they possibly do to me that is worse than what they already put me through? If they kill me where I stand on the day when I refuse it will be worth it, because I would show them that the Earth King cannot oppress me. I would die with my honor and pride intact. I would die with freedom."

The crowd of villagers remained hushed in admiration of the man's defiance. In actuality the majority of them agreed with him, they had just never realized that going against the King was an option.

"I'm with you!" a man said. "I have a family of five to feed; I can't and won't pay 20 gold pieces each month."

"So am I!" said another villager. "I watched a Firebender kill my daughter."

"Opposing the soldiers will be dangerous" warned the rebel.

"What danger? Half of us are Earthbenders!" boasted a young man.

"We outnumber them ten to one!" pointed out another.

"Besides, my family was completely destroyed; like a lot of us, I don't have anything to loose!" proclaimed another.

"Very well," said the rebel. "Next month we will revolt against the Earth King's tyranny and stand up for our freedom!"

"Revolt!" shouted a woman.

"Revolt!" yelled a man.

"Revolt!" shouted three brothers.

"Revolt!" all of the villagers shouted as they took the rebel by his arms and hoisted him into the air, showing their hero to the entire world, not knowing that he was in fact a Dai Li agent whose father's death was to due a heart-attack and that this exact same thing was happening in numerous villages all over the kingdom.

Fire Lord Zuko stood on his balcony once more, staring at the crescent-shaped moon, not speaking.

"Zuko!" his wife Mai called as she entered the bedroom. She ran out to the balcony and stood next to him. "I just heard the news. I'm so sorry."

The news she was referring to was the grisly murder of Ozai, which had been discovered hours prior. The killer was nowhere to be found.

Zuko did not respond.

"Are you going to be ok?" she asked. Zuko nodded weakly. "Please talk to me."

Zuko's mouth slowly opened. "…He told me Mai…he actually told me" was all he said.

"What?" his wife asked.

"He told me what I wanted to know. He told me what I needed to know to protect our son. He told me the truth about my mother. He told me…and I thanked him. I didn't know what I was doing but it just felt…natural. Like something a son would normally say to his father. I had something to thank him for. I felt something in that moment…not love…but something! But now…it doesn't matter…he's gone…forever, along with any chance of…" he trailed off and stopped as silent tears slid from his eyes.

"Oh Zuko I am so sorry" Mai said as she embraced him. Zuko held tightly onto her and nuzzled his head on her shoulder, seeking whatever comfort that could be found.

"You know Aang said something the other day that got to me" Zuko said, holding back the urge to sob.

"What did he say?" asked Mai.

"He said I loved Azula" Zuko said. "…When he said I just dismissed it as ridiculous…but now that my father is dead and all I can think of is the few good times I've had with him…now I remember those summer days on Ember Island when we would all play on the beach and smile and laugh. I remember Azula and me playing tag and my father putting his arm around me. He was right; I love them Mai. They were my family. I miss them. There's nothing I can do about though; they're gone…for good."

"Zuko I'm so sorry" Mai said again. "I know that they had problems, but I know…deep down, somewhere inside of them they cared about you otherwise those days on Ember Island would have never happened."

"Why did it have to end Mai?" Zuko asked dejectedly. "Why couldn't it have always been like it was back on Ember Island, when we all loved each other and were happy? Why did it have to change?!"

"I wish I could answer that Zuko" Mai said understandingly. "Sometimes things change, even when it would be better for them not to."

"My father, my sister, my mother" Zuko began, when he suddenly remembered his older cousin who before he went of to war was like an older brother to Zuko who showed him Firebending forms and helped him get out of trouble, "my cousin, they're all gone. My uncle's the only family I have left."

"Well you do have the family you made for yourself" Mai reminded.

"Dada" a voice from below them said. The toddler Lu Ten crawled curiously at his parents' legs.

Zuko knelt down and spoke to his son. "Hi there little guy" he said, a meek smile forming.

Lu Ten reach out and touched his father's face.

"He looks just like his dad" Mai said smiling.

"With one big difference" Zuko said with his grin widening. His finger softly touched Lu Ten's left eye. "You've never had a scare there little guy, and you'll never have to."

He picked up Lu Ten and held him in his arms.

Just then a servant walked in, holding the baby Ursa. "Fire Lady Mai" she said. "Ursa has woken from her nap." Mai took her daughter in her arms and the servant departed.

The baby began cooing happily.

"That's my little girl" said Zuko, his tears finally stagnating. He then looked to his son as his inquisitive arms reached for the sky and then to his wife's smiling face.

"Thank you" he said. "I love you guys." Zuko and Mai then kissed, though were careful not to drop the children.

The next day in Ba Sing Se, Katara lay on her bed in the room of the palace the Earth King had provided for her. Though she was not fond of the idea of having to remain shut up in the palace, guarded around the clock, she had to admit that her room was not something to complain about; she had a large, soft bed, as well as dozens of other elegant pieces of furniture and a magnificent mirror that had a cabinet underneath it where every hygiene provision that could possibly ever be needed was to be found and food would be brought in with a simple request to one of the servants.

The door to the room swung open and Aang shuffled merrily in, Sokka and Suki walking behind him, Little Hakoda in Suki's arms.

"Guys!" Katara exclaimed as she ran over to them. She gave her husband a kiss then gave her brother a hug as well as her sister-in-law.

"Well this is a fancy setup" Sokka said as he looked around the room. "You should get attacked by the Dai Li more often."

"Aang told you already huh?" Katara asked.

"Yeah are you sure you're ok?" Suki asked.

"Of course I am," Katara assured, "I've dealt with much worse than a few Dai Li agents."

Sokka sat down on a nearby chair adjacent to a table that hosted a bowl of litchi nuts. He held out his hand and prepared to take a handful when out of the blue Momo lunged out and smacked them from his palm. As the kernels fell to the floor the greedy lemur quickly nibbled away at them as Sokka started swatting him away.

"Bad Momo!" shouted Sokka. "Those are mine!"

"Sokka, you aren't seriously going to eat nuts off the ground are you?" Katara scolded.

Sokka rose to his feet embarrassedly and replied, "Uh…of course not."

"Well anyway" interjected Aang. "Do you guys mind keeping Katara company while I take care of something?"

"Well sure Aang" replied Suki. "But what do you have to take care of?"

"I'm going to go find Long Feng" said the Avatar. "He's attacked my family for the last time."

"Wait a second" Sokka said. "You're going alone? Don't you want our help stopping Long Feng?"

"It's just Long Feng, Sokka" Aang said. "I can stop him by myself."

It may has well have been said that the word 'what' escaped every pair of lips other than Aang and Momo's.

"You're going to try to stop Long Feng, by yourself?" the always logical Sokka asked.

"Why not?" Aang asked as if the issue was entirely simple.

"Oh I don't know, maybe because he's a maniacal, calculating, homicidal maniac!" shouted Sokka.

"He's right Aang" Katara agreed. "Remember, Long Feng killed Jet."

"He also had Ba Sing Se under his control for years before you came along" Suki added.

"That may be true" admitted Aang. "But I'm the Avatar."

"So what?" said Sokka.

"So…" Aang replied sarcastically. "…I'm stronger than Long Feng. He may have killed Jet but Jet didn't have mastery of all four elements and of the Avatar State. I stopped Fire Lord Ozai by myself I think that I can handle Long Feng."

"Fire Lord Ozai fought you one-on-one" Sokka reminded rationally. "That's not Long Feng's style. There are hundreds of Dai Li agents."

"And there are over a thousand Avatars" countered Aang. "And when I'm in the Avatar State their power is mine."

"Long Feng is a bureaucratic coward who hides behind his agents; do you really think he'll risk his plan in a fight with you?"

"I don't think he'll have a choice."

"Why are you so determined to do this alone?"

"Because, when Katara was almost killed I wasn't there; I didn't do anything. I'm her husband and I'm supposed to protect her but I completely failed. When a man was about to stab her in the neck I was out buying a teapot. This world won't be safe for her and my children as long as the Dai Li is around. So I'm going to find them and stop them, and I don't need any help; I'm not the goofy kid you found in the iceberg anymore, I'm a man now."

"Are you sure Aang?"

"If I need any help, I'll ask."

Sokka looked to Katara and Suki and they appeared as confused as he was.

"Well at least tell us where you're going" the Water Tribe warrior requested.

"First I'll search Lake Laogai" Aang explained. "Then I'll continue my search from there. It'll probably only take a few weeks at the most."

"Exactly how do you plan on stopping Long Feng?" Sokka asked shortly.

"I figured I'll just use Energybending, take away his Earthbending and then hand him over to the Earth King" Aang said.

"Right" Sokka said judgingly. "What about the other Dai Li agents?"

"Well…I didn't exactly think about that. But without Long Feng they'll just fall apart and go back to their lives won't they?"

"What if they don't?! What if you just make them mad and they try to kill you again? Didn't you come up with a plan?!"

"No, but I'll figure it out."

"I should come with you."

"No. I can defeat Long Feng by myself. I want you guys to stay here and watch over Katara while I'm gone."

Before a rebuttal could be offered the Avatar was already halfway out the door.

"Wait Aang" Katara said. "I have something to say."

Aang halted. "What?"

"Don't be gone too long" she said. She placed a palm over her belly. "This is the kind of thing I need you around for."

"I won't be gone long" Aang promised.

A month later the village where the rebel had stood up to the tax-collecting soldiers assembled at the gate that served as the entrance of the town. Those who were gifted with the abilities of Earthbending stood ready and those who weren't, were armed with anything available; things such as pitchforks, hoes, kitchen-knives, and work hammers. About three dozen villagers had assembled to defy the collectors. The rebel stood at their head.

The same colonel and soldiers, including the ones of Fire Nation lineage, who had collected taxes the prior month shuffled into the small town with the collection box.

"Everyone form into a line" the colonel said as he did every month, paying no notice to the quiet intensity of the townspeople.

No one moved.

"We will be oppressed no longer" the rebel informed calmly.

"You again" the colonel acknowledged. "I trust we will have no further problems. Hopefully the harshness of your taxation this month will detour you from supplementary defiance."

"The taxes were always harsh!" a villager spat.

"I see you have infected others with your opinions" said the colonel.

"It is you who are sick!" a woman shouted. "You who stand with the Fire Nation soldiers; you disgrace your kingdom!"

The colonel sighed. "This was quite amusing," he jested, "but we do have other duties to attend to. Now please tax payers, step forth."

Not one of the villagers stirred.

"I see" the colonel said. "It is sedition then. A final warning though, if this entire village refuses to pay, I have no qualms about haling all of you to prison, to stand trial for treason."

"As I said before colonel" the rebel began menacingly. "Our people will be oppressed by neither you nor the king any longer." He lifted his arm and performed a gesture that was the signal for the Earthbenders.

The other Earthbenders shot their fists forward and a storm of rock and dust barraged the warriors, focusing their efforts particularly severely on the Firebenders, who fell prostrate to the ground, their knees and femurs shattered by the onslaught. The Earth Kingdom soldiers stood horrified as blood leaked like oil from harsh cuts on their faces.

"We will show you three compassion being that you are of our nationality" the rebel said. "However, the Firebenders die."

The colonel said, "I cannot allow that." He stomped his foot roughly and thrust forth a boulder, only for the rebel to kick it aside and to strike him with his fist, the humble villager rendering the experienced soldier unconscious with his bear hands.

"That's for humiliating me" said the rebel vengefully.

The other two Earth Kingdom soldiers hastily picked up their comatose leader and stood fearfully.

"Fly you fools" said the rebel. The soldiers did not need reiteration; within a minute they had run out of sight of the village.

The livid villagers crowded around the fallen Firebenders like hyenas around the corpse of a wildebeest.

"This is what becomes of those who cross the Earth Kingdom" the rebel said as the defenseless Firebenders gazed apprehensively at their attackers. "Finish them."

In a flash of metal tools and stone the rage of the villagers was hurled down. The bloodcurdling howls of the soldiers rang through the air like the winds of a tornado, until the Firebenders died, warm blood drenching their bodies, their eyes open in shock and their jaws gaping ajar, like those of a slaughtered animal.

"We have done it" the rebel proclaimed, a gleam of proud malice in his eye.

"We owe it all to you" proclaimed the eldest man of the village. "Had your spirit not inspired us we would have never taken the initiative to claim our vengeance."

Like a toothpick in a freshly cooked Thanksgiving turkey, a pitchfork was lodged in one of the Fire soldiers' backs. The rebel who had instigated the insurrection took the tool by its handle and removed it in a quick, yanking motion.

"Hope is kindled" said the rebel. "Kindled for all the Earth Kingdom; the noble act carried out here will forever serve as a glimmering spark of justice for all subjugated Earth Kingdom citizens."

"It is all thanks to you" said a young, female Earthbender. "That gleam of hope was lit in your heart. You have the courage and strength of a Lion Turtle."

"I am flattered" said the rebel. "And humbled, however this gleam was not born in my heart. I was inspired by the valor of a much greater man than I."

"Who? Who is the man who motivated you to rise above the pathetic squalor of a browbeaten peasant?"

"A man of the highest esteem and honor" declared the surreptitious Dai Li agent. "He has many aliases, but he is known to me as Long Feng."


	11. Civil War

In the Royal War Room of Ba Sing Se the Council of Five was seated around their large map of the world, Earth King Kuei presiding across from them on his palanquin, its curtains drawn, and General How at their center.

"In the past three months several villages in the south and west have refused to pay taxes" explained How to the King. "Many of the residents of these towns, particularly the Earthbenders, have openly and forcefully rebelled against our soldiers, going so far as resorting to violence and murder to achieve their agenda."

"What exactly is their agenda, General?" asked the Earth King.

"The soldiers who have returned from these attacks have informed us that despite these rebellions at first being confined to single villages the people carrying them out have remarkably similar demands. First they speak out against your rule King Kuei, and with all due respect, they say you are a selfish oppressive tyrant, whose taxes are depriving his people of life. Second, they have spoken more egregiously of this; they are quite upset that our military is cooperating with the Fire Nation army in the reconstruction and demand that they leave the Earth Kingdom immediately."

"These demands are outrageous!" said the King. "Without the Fire Nation's support and without taxation our government cannot possibly hope to be capable of rebuilding the Earth Nation."

"You are right sir" agreed the General. "The war financially drained our economy of any possibility of the government retaining the needed wealth to restore our cities and strongholds, and too many of our soldiers have been killed for us to have enough to oversee the peaceful reconstruction on our own. Though this argument as yet to detour any of the rebels."

"I see" the Earth King said. "What are the costs of this uprising?"

"Hundreds of gold pieces in taxes, nearly thousands for that matter, and our men, as well as the Fire Lord's, have suffered causalities in the attempt to quell the rebellions."

"What are the casualties?"

"Five of the defiant villagers could not be spared by our soldiers, 20 of our own men were killed, and 50 Fire Nation soldiers have fallen."

"50?" the King said incredulously.

"Their main goal is to impose the extradition of the Fire Nation military. They've shown fellow Earth Kingdom citizens quarter but they've taken extra care to kill as many Fire soldiers as possible…and practiced desecration of their bodies."

"Desecration?"

"Outside of every rebel village, the heads of defeated Fire soldiers have been mounted on posts. They have also done things to their other remains that I prefer to not describe."

King Kuei signed and reclined in his seat wearily. He mumbled something that sounded vaguely like 'what a mess'. "Has the Avatar been alerted to these happenings?" he asked. If anyone could help him resolve this it would be the Avatar. If it wasn't for him he would still be living under the guise that the Earth Kingdom was a peaceful utopia.

"The Avatar has spent the past four months searching for Long Feng and the Dai Li after the attempt on his wife's life. I dispatched men to summon him. When they returned they claimed that the Avatar has evidence to suggest that the two problems are related" said How. "He has actually been waiting in the outside chamber for me to finish explaining the situation."

"Very well" said the King. "Bring him in."

The doors of the room swung open and Aang came marching in, the stress of his unsuccessful four-month-long endeavor carved onto his normally carefree face. When he searched Lake Laogai for evidence he found nothing of value there and every time he had picked up a trace, a whisper of Long Feng's whereabouts, he either arrived too late or found the information to be false.

"Welcome Avatar!" bade the King happily.

"Hello" was all the Avatar had to say. Without another word he trudged over to the center table of the room and stamped a pierce of parchment onto it.

The Generals and the King stared intently at the paper, reading it over carefully.

"Long live The Liberator" said the King to himself. It was the only thing written on that paper.

"Who is The Liberator?" said General Sung, the least prestigious of the generals.

"I think I've found out" said Aang. "I almost got killed in the process. When I was searching for Long Feng I flew strait into one of the rebelling villages. They kept chanting 'long live The Liberator' as they prepared to attack the soldiers stationed there. I didn't know what was going on at first so I hid in the village to try to find out. I listened in on a lot of their conversations. One of them talked about The Liberator. I didn't catch everything he said but I know he said something about Long Feng and inspiration. The Liberator must have been a nickname Long Feng had his agents use to disguise his identity. Too bad he didn't count on my eavesdropping. Though either way when they started attacking the soldiers I revealed myself, when they found out I was the Avatar they were mad. All of them ran towards me and tried to kill me. If I didn't go into the Avatar State and freeze all of them in a breath of ice I'd be chopped into a million pieces right now."

"That was the only rebellion that was successfully stopped" General How added. "We've interrogated the insurgents and those who cooperated gave us intelligence that confirms Avatar Aang's theories, though the one who instigated, who we believe to be a Dai Li agent it took his own life before we could question him."

"So Long Feng is convincing the commoners to rebel against me for revenge?" said the King as he processed everything he had heard.

"We believe the situation is much more dire than that my liege" said How.

"Go on" encouraged the King.

"The insurgents have not simply dispatched once their attacks succeeded" began the veteran General. "Our scouts have reported troubling news that has made us certain of that. The villages that have rebelled seem to now be working together. The Dai Li members who initiated these raids have reunited and assembled their insurgents into their own army."

"An army?" the King said flabbergasted.

"Yes" said How. "They have assembled on the southwestern peninsula here." With a long pole General How traced a circle around a large area on the western coast of the Earth Kingdom. Aang recognized the spot he indicated.

"That's Haru's village" Aang said. Haru was a friend of Aang and his comrades. In the early days of their involvement in the war they had helped him free his father from imprisonment on a Fire Nation rig which allowed him and other freed Earthbenders to reclaim their town for the Earth Kingdom.

"That is correct; the village controlled by Tyro, or once controlled by Tyro" said General How.

"What?" asked Aang.

"Tyro, his son, and other Earthbenders who agreed with them were loyalists. When the Dai Li attempted the take control of their village to use its coal and metal mines, they fought against them. They were defeated."

"Defeated? Do you mean they're…_dead_?"

"We do not know for sure. Only one of the scouts we sent to the peninsula returned. He did not learn what became of Tyro and Haru. The best case scenario for them is that they escaped and fled to someplace under our control."

Aang was troubled by this news. As well as his friend, Haru was friends with Katara and he knew the news of his probable death would upset her. He did not wish to believe that Haru was dead; he hoped he had escaped, but he figured that if Sokka was here he would say something about how it's unrealistic to assume that he and his father survived, seeing as few people who went against the insurgents survived and it was not in Haru and Tyro's nature to run, as opposed to holding their ground and fighting to their last breath when their was trouble.

"This news is indeed startling General" said the King.

"There is more."

"More?"

"Yes. You see theses villages are not simply rebelling against your rule in the hopes you will listen to them. They are, in effect, succeeding from it. The provinces, towns, and bases where theses insurgents have surfaced have declared their independence from the Earth Kingdom and the formation of their own; they are calling their conglomerate the Kingdom of Laogai and have named this so called liberator, whom we believe to be Long Feng, their king."

"Long Feng…has his own kingdom?" the king almost whispered.

"Our scouts have brought us equally disconcerting news" How said. "We have received word that Long Feng's forces are assembling near General Fong's base, armed with the weapons and armor they have stolen from our soldiers and bases. We believe, that with General Fong's base under his control, Long Feng's army will have adequate supplies and soldiers to…"

"Yes General?" the King said impatiently.

"…to attack Ba Sing Se, my liege" How completed.

The King stood absolutely still. "…You…you are certain?" he asked quietly.

"It all fits" How said. "He has been recruiting Earthbenders and fighters from our most heavily populated and decimated areas, he captured Tyro's mining village to use its metal and coal, he has been stealing our weapons, supplies and soldiers…"

"My own men turned against me?!" shouted the King angrily. Aang had never heard such rage in his voice.

"Some of them, those who didn't were either killed or fled. Most of the highest ranking officials remained loyal to you sir, and were killed."

"Why would any of my soldiers turn against me?!"

"I suspect some of them agree with Long Feng. Though you have nothing to fear of us; the military of Ba Sing Se remains loyal to you, Your Highness, now and always."

The King did not seem even slightly comforted. "How do we know Long Feng can take control of Fong's base?"

"He has hundreds of soldiers at his command. In the last four months he has conquered nearly the entire west coast of the Earth Kingdom, save for Omashu" said How.

Aang's heart leapt at this. The King of Omashu, Bumi was one of Aang's oldest friends.

"Why not Omashu? It has many weapons and resources" asked General Sung.

"It is of little strategic value to Long Feng, being so heavily fortified and so far away from Ba Sing Se. The effort and men it would require to overthrow King Bumi would cost Long Feng much more than he would gain by conquering it so he most likely plans to leave it alone…for now."

Aang felt great relief at this. His friend was safe.

"Can we send troops to aid General Fong?" suggested the King.

"We have already sent some reinforcements but it will take them weeks to get there, plus we can spare no more. We need to focus on preparing Ba Sing Se to defend itself against Long Feng's army if General Fong's men do not succeed in stopping him" How explained.

"Are you certain it will come to civil war General?" the King asked hopelessly.

"If General Fong does not stop them…then yes, I believe that will be what it will consummate to" said the General.

"Civil war" the King said exhaustedly as he rubbed his forehead. "That hasn't happened to our country since the days of Chin the Conquer!"

It didn't help that this situation was remarkably similar to the War of Chin the Conquer, where a tyrannical radical used the unpopular rule of a reigning Earth King as his campaign to take control of the entire nation, and were it not for the interference of Avatar Kyoshi, he would have succeeded.

Aang rose. "Don't worry Your Majesty" he proclaimed. "I stopped civil war from consuming this country in a past life and I'll do it again in this one. The best way to stop an army is to get rid of its leader. I'm going to find Long Feng and I'll bring him back here to finally stand trial!"

"Pardon me Aang, but how exactly are you going to find Long Feng?" asked the Earth King.

"I've been following his trail for four months now" explained the Avatar. "I've been following the movements of his army and his agents as closely as possible. I've heard rumors of his location and I think I'll be able to find him soon enough."

"Do you require assistance?"

"No. I can travel much faster and much more inconspicuously by myself. Having an army following me would just help alert Long Feng of when I was coming."

"I see. So you will attempt to capture Long Feng. Meanwhile what remains of the military will prepare to encage the Laogai forces and to protect Ba Sing Se."

"Yes sir, Your Majesty" Aang said standing and bowing.

Iroh sat alone in his apartment in Ba Sing Se. He was thinking quietly to himself. It was that day; the birthday. It always seems like that for him birthdays were just occasions to remember how many people he had lost. Only this time it was not the birthday of Lu Ten, his late son who Zuko named his son after, it was the birthday of his younger brother Ozai, who had died four months ago.

He remembered clearly in his head the last time they had spoken.

It was a warm sunny day, though Iroh couldn't tell that from the inside of the prison. He had been welcomed in by the guards and politely escorted to his brother's cell. He saw it as ironic that the prison whose walls once had held him now incarcerated his brother.

The guards had left him alone to speak to Ozai privately.

"Hello Ozai" he said as politely as possible.

"As if my day wasn't bright and shining enough, now I have received a visit from my backstabbing older brother" the former Fire Lord scoffed.

"I know that after the way things turned out you must have mixed feelings about seeing me…"

"My feelings are as clear as your belly is wide Iroh!" shouted Ozai. "Who would have ever guessed that at the conclusion of this war that I would be the one locked away to forever rot in a hellhole of a prison while you were peacefully manage a teashop in the heart of the nation that you once swore to destroy while my worthless son reigned as Fire Lord?!"

Iroh was not at all surprised by this outburst; in fact he would have been if Ozai didn't have one.

"Look…I'm not happy the way things ended between us…" Iroh began.

"Is there a reason you're here?" Ozai snapped before Iroh could complete his thought.

"…I just want to talk."

"If you want to talk to someone, then go talk to my pathetic wretch of a son."

"Why do you talk about your own son in such a way?"

"He overthrew me and locked me in this…"

"It started long before this. You know that Ozai. Why have you always favored one child so strongly over the other? It's not fair to Zuko."

"Fair?!" Ozai flared up, as if that very word offended him. "I'll tell you what isn't fair; being the second born son your parents have by accident while their oldest son is already a famous war hero and being forced to eternally live in his shadow, knowing that you will never be crowned Fire Lord, no matter how many times you prove yourself superior to him!"

"So…that is it" Iroh said, sounding intellectually satisfied. "You see Zuko as like me, the older brother born with his destiny of success planned out for him, and Azula as you, the younger child who would never be given a chance, even if she was vastly superior to her brother, and so you do what you always wish our father did with us."

"Perhaps, I've never given it that much thought to be honest" Ozai said casually, shrugging off the mistreatment of his son as a minor detail.

"And yet in spite of all that Zuko has still always loved you" Iroh said calmly.

"He's worthless" said Ozai.

"He overthrew your crowned jewel Azula" Iroh pointed out.

Ozai took this blow easily. "Perhaps he had some unused value that I failed to see. This was my one mistake with him, other than not killing him when I had the chance" he said.

Iroh seethed with rage at this comment but kept a level head. "You once strived to be a good father Ozai. I haven't forgotten those wonderful days on Ember Island and neither has Zuko" he said.

"That was a long time ago" said Ozai. "Before I ever believed the throne could be within my grasp. My family then was all I had, but when I knew I was destined for greater power they just got in the way. You, well you _existed_. Ursa was so concerned with our children that all she ever could be to my goal was a nuisance. Zuko's lack of talent only further dissuaded our father from placing the throne in my hands. Only Azula was any help, her ambition, her talent, her raw hunger for power. It was their fault, not mine; if they hadn't kept getting in the way…there could have been a place for them."

"So you didn't want to shove your family aside in the greedy quest for the satisfaction of your lust of power, it was just an unavoidable side effect?" Iroh said, his contempt leaking through.

"That is one way of looking at it I suppose. They were distractions from the goal."

"…Yes. Well…Ozai I know you will most likely carry your hatred of me the rest of your life…"

"Damn right."

"…however I came to say…family is once again all you have. You have been stripped of all your power, including your Firebending. Zuko, he still loves you. You have learned the hard way that your path failed, your daughter lost her mind, your wife left you, and your son overthrew you. You can never reclaim you old life, but perhaps you can find some small measure of happiness."

"How?" Ozai snapped. Though he was angry, he seemed curious.

"Zuko is the only path to redemption ahead of you, you know that as well as I. He still loves you, despite everything you have done, even despite his scar. If you make amends with him, then maybe there's a chance for…well who knows?" Iroh suggested.

"Are you done?" asked Ozai.

"Yes I am" Iroh said as he stood up and opened the door to leave. "Goodbye Ozai."

Iroh pondered these last two words carefully. 'Goodbye Ozai', it seemed fitting that those were the last words he ever said to him.

**Sorry about the wait. I've been rather busy lately. I should be able to update more now though. Also if anyone notices any grammatical or spelling errors please inform me. **


	12. The Southern Waterbenders

General Fong sat uneasily at his table that was used for war planning. Sitting across from him was the calm militant Long Feng. He looked almost the same as when he had been Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se, save for a large scar across his forehead left by Sokka's boomerang when he had tried to kill the Earth King. The proud General scowled as he was face to face with his new enemy while Long Feng smirked arrogantly. The leader of the Dai Li had surrounded Fong's base with over 5,000 men and forced negotiations between both sides. The General had no choice but to agree; even merely against enraged peasants Fong did not have enough soldiers and resources to win a battle of that scale painlessly.

As he calmly sipped cool liquid from an expensive cup Long Feng said, "You make excellent wine in the western Earth Kingdom. Is this sake?"

"It's plumb wine" Fong said with the air of someone who didn't want to speak any more than he had to.

"Exquisite" said Long Feng as he finished another gulp.

"You've threatened the lives of my men. I should have offered you water from the gutter" scoffed the General.

"Oh really General I don't want this to be a hostile meeting between us. I honestly came here without the intention of taking any of your men's lives."

"Your barricade out there would seem to suggest otherwise."

"Nothing more than precaution I assure you."

"Precaution for what?"

"To ensure that you hear what I have to say, that you listen to my proposal and then honestly consider it."

"You're a traitor to the Earth King" said Fong angrily. "Official military policy is to arrest or kill you on sight."

"Loyalty" Long Feng said admiringly. "That is something to be respected, though loyalty to the wrong person is something to be pitied."

"I don't have all day Long Feng. If you're going to attack go ahead and do it so those of us who survive can get on with our lives."

"You are quite keen on fighting General I wonder why that is."

"Perhaps it's the war we've been fighting for the past 100 years. Oh wait you wouldn't know about that! You were safe and sound in Ba Sing Se the entire time weren't you?"

"Well I won't deny that, though all of us would have been safe and sound if the war had ended a long time ago."

The expression on Fong's face relayed his annoyance at having the obvious explained to him.

Long Feng went on confidently, "This is a magnificent base, secluded in the West Coast. It is the perfect place to launch strategic assault against the Fire Nation, and yet all throughout the war you sat here and waited for the King's order, or for the Avatar to return. The former never came and the latter was a disappointment was it not?"

Fong clenched his fist and inhaled angrily. Long Feng's brow was risen as that happened. As if he had been forced to say it General Fong said, "Though the Avatar and I had our disagreements, he did defeat the Fire Lord and end the war."

"Yes but how many men women, and children were killed while waiting for him to defeat Ozai? How many lives did his selfishness cost?"

Fong cringed again. Long Feng could tell as it went on the General agreed with his own statements less and less. "The Avatar had to learn the other three elements before he could…"

"Why?" Long Feng interrupted. "The Avatar State gives him godlike power and invincible wrath. He could have defeated the Fire Lord any time he wanted."

"The Avatar State is a power too difficult to be controlled so easily."

"Oh really? It is ironic that rumors and stories traveled to the Eastern Coast of the Earth Kingdom faster than the West when it is coming from the West."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh I think you know. According to all those legends and rumors out there the Avatar was losing his battle with Fire Lord Ozai at the beginning, the tables were turned when he entered the Avatar State. Surely you must know this."

"Of course I do, but the Fire Lord provoked him into entering it by threatening his life. It was nothing more than a primal response."

Long Feng's voice shifted ever so slightly into insurmountable confidence in that moment. "Is that so?" he said. "The way I heard it at the moment of truth Avatar Aang was about to bring the wrath of a thousand Avatars down on the Fire Lord to punish him for his misdeeds and yet the poor merciful naïve child stopped himself, sparring the evil savage of a bender's life. In order to do so he wrestled control of his body away from all the other Avatars. In other words he was in complete control."

"I do not believe he had complete control when I first met him."

"He also did not during the majority of his fight with Ozai. Like I said, he wrestled control away from the other Avatars, showing he could have gained control of it any time he wanted if he tried hard enough."

Fong's face shifted ever so slightly, just barely revealing his shock. Long Feng sensed his defenses weakening. He had chosen the right nerve to pick at.

"Why would the Avatar not want to immediately defeat the Fire Lord if he had the ability?" Fong asked angrily, though not sounding angry at Long Feng.

"Oh what miniscule glory could he possibly have to gain by merely becoming the hero of a single nation? The Avatar is far more ambitious than that" Long Feng said coolly.

"…What do you mean?"

"Well if the Avatar simply faced the Fire Lord and killed him right away sure the Earth and Water Nations would praise him as a hero but what of the Fire Nation? The Avatar can never have absolute power over the world if the Fire Nation continued to hate him, so naturally a by-the-book Earth Kingdom invasion did not appeal to him. After all what would the Fire Nation hate more than being occupied by the people they are so used to oppressing. A rag-tag invasion where he disabled the Fire Lord single-handedly and caused as little damage to that nation as possible was much more up his alley."

"You're saying the Avatar wants absolute power over the world?"

"Well of course! Don't be naïve my friend. It has been the way it is throughout all history. The Avatar belongs to no single nation no matter where he is born and is so powerful and respected that he is allowed to do whatever he wants in any nation. The Kings of this world may believe they are in charge of it but trust me, the Avatars have always been the highest authority. Do you think it is a coincidence that Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko are such great friends? Achieving power was in their mutual interests."

Fong sighed and clasped his head in his hands. Long Feng knew that his defenses had crumbled to pieces.

"So that is why…" the weary General said. "…that is why he refused to help me fight the Fire Nation even with his awesome power. He didn't want to end the war to save the lives of innocents; he just wanted glory and power."

"Naturally" said Long Feng. "After all what concern are the problems of us mortals to the great Spiritual Medium of our world? Of course it wouldn't have been so bad if the Earth King had ever ordered you to invade the Fire Nation before the Avatar came; after all at least then you would have had a fighting chance."

"You're right Long Feng. For all of history those in power have cared too much for their own interests to do anything to help the rest of us. The Avatar, the Earth King, the Fire Lord, they're all the same. That's why the war lasted 100 years, not because there was no hope without the Avatar."

"And it is why our people continue to suffer even in the aftermath of the war because of cruel taxation and the ever-prolonged occupation by these Firebending savages" Long Feng added.

"Yes it is."

"That is why my army is here today General Fong. We are here to change things. For centuries the current corrupt bureaucracy that is the Earth Nation Government has been allowed to rule unopposed and not give its citizens so much as a sideways glance. These men surrounding your fortress are not merely the upper-crust of Earth Kingdom society; many of them are peasants and farmers, the main victims of the war. They are tired of being mistreated and ignored. We are going to rebuild are country into a true paradise, with wise caring men leading it. Is that something that interests you General?"

Long Feng stood up and extended his hand across the table welcomingly. For a second Fong merely stared at it then he too rose and clasped The Liberator's hand.

"All right, I'm in."

Aang glided across the air with his staff and landed on a stretch of land on the outskirts of the Si Wong desert. The remnants of a deserted camp surrounded the area and it appeared it had been a long time since it had been abandoned.

"Ugh, this is the millionth Spirit-damned dead-end I've found!" cursed Aang. "Every time I think I'm getting close to Long Feng he slinks away!"

Aang kicked the dust beneath his legs and grunted angrily. He felt his foot lightly brush against something on the ground. He bent down and picked it up. It was a torn piece of cloth wish writing firmly stitched onto it.

"The seal of the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se" Aang read. He smirked. "Long Feng, I bet a Shirshu could easily use this." He popped the wings out his glider and began flying.

Katara was eating lunch with Sokka and Suki in the Earth King's palace. It was a relatively quiet, peaceful and uninteresting day as all the days living in the palace tended to be. Though Katara at least never found a reason to be dissatisfied with the food or service, both were excellent which was to be appreciated; she was now three months into her pregnancy and had just started to show so her appreciation of being taken care of had increased though so to did her boredom and her wish that Aang would finish his search for Long Feng and return so the Earth King would stop insisting she remain in the palace under guard all the time.

"Aang sure is taking a long time getting back" Suki said as she filled her bowl with rice. "I wonder if he's even found Long Feng."

"If I know Aang he's already found Long Feng beaten him to a pulp and taught everyone a warm-touchy lesson about hope and love or eating your vegetables or something" said Sokka as he stuffed his face with roasted chicken.

"Still this is a lot longer than he said he would be gone" Katara said. "I'm starting to get worried about him."

"Aang's a fully realized Avatar he can take Long Feng and his agents with both hands tied behind his back" Sokka assured.

The cooing of Sokka and Suki's child Hakoda became noticeable when he had reached over the table towards one of the plates of food. Everyone was so distracted by that they didn't notice Momo swiping dozens of pastries from the table.

"Sorry little Hakoda, this is grown up food" Sokka said as he picked his son up and held him in his arms. The baby resembled his father in almost every way, except he was slightly paler than him and had greenish eyes, traits inherited from his mother. "Guess he's going to end up liking meat too."

"He sure is just like his daddy" Suki said.

"Heaven help us" Katara teased. She and Suki laughed.

"Very funny" Sokka replied.

"Hey what's the baby doing now?" Suki asked.

"What do you mean?" Sokka said as he turned his head back towards his son. He then knew what Suki had been talking about. Hakoda was pushing his arms forward and pulling them back rhythmically.

"Is he doing some kind of dance?" Sokka asked.

"I don't think so Sokka" Katara said. "Look!" She pointed to an open teapot on the table. The tea inside of the pot was moving being pushed forward and pulled back in waves at the same time that little Hakoda moved his arms.

Sokka held the baby's arms for a second. The tea ceased to move. He released Hakoda's arms and he resumed pushing and pulling merrily as if it was some kind of game. The tea responded to his movements once more.

"Sokka, little Hakoda is a Waterbender!" Katara shouted.

"Spirits almighty!" Sokka exclaimed. Suki was left speechless.

"Another Southern Waterbender!" Katara beamed joyfully. "I never thought I would see the day!"

"I was worried he would turn out too much like his aunt" Sokka joked as the shock began to wear off.

"Still a bender with warrior parents, that's a potent mix Sokka" said Suki.

"You're right" Sokka agreed. "Imagine how strong he'll be if we train him as a Waterbender and a Kyoshi and Water Tribe warrior! He'll be like an Avatar only a million times better!"

"Where do you get that logic from Sokka?" Katara asked.

"Water, boomerang, club, fan, sword and other sword beat Air, Water, Earth and Fire easily" Sokka boasted.

Katara simply rolled her eyes.

"When you say 'other sword' do you mean mine or yours?" Suki asked.

"Your sword" Sokka said simply.

"What? My sword is way better than yours, your sword is the 'other sword'!" Suki protested.

"My sword is made from a meteorite!" Sokka defended.

"My sword is a katana, that's way better than a jian!"

"My sword can cut through solid steel!"

"If you made a katana out of meteorite ore it could slice through a wall of diamond like a wet noodle!"

"Ok, ok both of your swords are awesome but what would Hakoda need with one, he's a Waterbender?" Katara interjected.

"It would sure come in handy during a lunar eclipse or if he was stranded in the middle of a desert attacked by Sandbenders" Sokka pointed out.

"Yeah like with Zuko and his twin swords. He could also use one of them with his bending" Suki added.

"I guess that makes sense" Katara said, remembering how helpless and frustrated she felt when away from a source of water during an emergency.

"Of course someone does have to teach him Waterbending in the first place" Sokka said. "Is that something that interests you?"

"Really me?" Katara asked surprised.

"Who else?" Suki asked.

"Well Master Pakku…" Katara started.

"Is a jerk" Sokka finished. "Little Hakoda here would have much more fun learning from you."

"Wow, I'm flattered guys, I'd love to teach my little nephew Waterbending" Katara accepted happily.

"And maybe Uncie Aang can give you a hand with that every now and then too" Sokka said.

"Of course he'll have his hands tied teaching four little ones to master Airbending" Suki said.

Katara's smile suddenly sank for a moment. "…Yeah…" she said.

Suki and Sokka looked at each other worriedly.

"Uh is something wrong Katara?" Suki asked concerned.

"What? No…well…" Katara stuttered.

"Come on Katara" Sokka encouraged.

"It's just that…" she started, "…well it's not like I never thought of Aang and I having kids when we were dating and I knew that there was a good chance they would turn out Airbenders but it's just that…well when I didn't know what they were going to be it just felt more natural but now…it may sound selfish but knowing that none of my children will ever be Waterbenders just feels so _planned_."

"Well that does make sense" Suki said. "It's only natural that you would want one of your children to be a Waterbender like you."

"Yeah but it's still selfish" said Katara. "There are hundreds of Waterbenders in the world and counting these children there are only five Airbenders. The world needs more Airbenders to be born than it needs Waterbenders but still…I always wanted to raise a Waterbending daughter in our tribe the way mom never got to raise me. I always wanted to be like her."

"Katara you're already exactly like our mother" Sokka said seriously.

"…You really think so?" Katara asked.

"Of course, you've been acting like my mom and the mom of the entire group your for as long as I can remember. You've been training for this your entire life!"

Katara smiled and laughed.

Sokka continued, "Katara these are still your babies and when they come you're going to love them more than anything in the world and they're going to love you." He placed his palm on her belly. "And these are still my nieces and nephews whether they're Waterbenders, Airbenders, or even Firebenders. They're still our family."

Katara reached out and hugged her brother tightly. "Thanks Sokka" she said.

"You were never that good with words when I was pregnant" Suki said.

"You're a lot tougher than Katara" Sokka said simply.

"Hey!" Katara shouted.

Suddenly a loud knocking came from the other side of the door that was the entrance to the room.

"Come in" said Suki.

The door swung open. In its entrance stood the head guard of the palace.

"Forgive us, we have failed" he gasped as he fell flat on his face. A knife was protruding from his back, just above his heart. He had been murdered.

Sokka and Suki quickly drew their swords and stood up. Sokka hid Hakoda in the back of the room. Katara rose as well.

"Get behind us Katara" Sokka said direly. "We've got to protect the babies." Normally Katara would have objected to this plan, but in this case she agreed so she complied.

The sounds of scuffling continued outside until four men burst into the room, their hands incased in gloves of solid stone.

"The Avatar's wife!" shouted one as he pointed to Katara. Katara immediately recognized two of the men. They had previously attacked her in Iroh's tea shop. They were Ling and Ping, Long Feng's second and third in command.

"You're not laying one hand on my sister!" Sokka shouted protectively.

"It's Sokka of the Water Tribe, the warrior who scarred our leader's face!" one of the lesser agents shouted.

"Two birds with one stone" Ling said with malice.

Ping had been promoted to second in command since the failed assassination attempt on Katara in the Jasmine Dragon where Ling's hand had been injured so it was he who ordered, "Capture the Avatar's wife!"

"And kill her brother!" Ling said, repeating Long Feng's orders.

The two lesser agents ran forward. One went to Suki, the other to Sokka their rocks hands outstretched. Suki parried her enemies attacked and sliced the inside of his leg then kicked him to the ground. Sokka used his left hand to throw forth his boomerang and as the man dodged it Sokka cut his right arm with his jian. As the man jumped up and prepared to attack angrily again Sokka's boomerang came whirling back and struck him in the back of the head. He fell to the ground, throbbing in pain. Sokka caught his boomerang.

"Get up men!" Ling ordered.

"Long Feng's wrath will be brought down on all of us if we fail again!" Ping hollered.

The men struggled to their feet. This time their superiors weren't going to risk one-on-one fights anymore.

As Sokka and Suki focused on defending themselves from their assailant's attacks Ling and Ping shot their rock gloves forward, which grabbed Suki and Sokka's arms and strapped them to the walls. The lesser agents used their gloves to fasten their legs to wall. They had dropped their weapons during the impact.

Ling and Ping faced Katara themselves. Opening her water skin she shot out a whip of liquid but the two Dai Li agents jumped to the side. Her technique was slowed; pregnancy had begun to shape her body in a way not conducive to battle.

Ping launched forward the metal cuffs in his sleeves usually reserved for trapping Earthbenders and they clasped around Katara's wrists. Pulling back on the chains harshly he made Katara drop to her knees and Ling kicked up slabs of rock that trapped and immobilized her.

"We meet again" Ling said as he knelt down in front of her. Katara said nothing and looked defiantly at him. "You mean you don't remember? I got this handsome wound because of you." He held up his right arm and slid down his sleeve. A healed-over stub was where his right hand should be. Obviously it had been amputated.

"Ling" she said horrified and guilty.

"So you do remember me. I wonder if you remember that I wasn't a lefty before this happened!" he shouted angrily.

"Ling I'm sorry about your hand we were protecting the babies…"

"Save it!" he said, gripping her throat in his remaining hand.

"Ling stop it!" Ping barked. "We were ordered to bring her to Long Feng alive!"

Katara remembered that voice, the voice of the man who had hesitated to kill her when he had learned of her pregnancy. She couldn't help but hear a similar tone this time.

"Fine" Ling said, grabbing one of Katara's arms as Ping took the other. Together they encased her in a cocoon of rock using the slabs that had trapped her.

"Stay here and finish off the rest" Ling said to the other two as little Hakoda began crying.

"No!" said Ping. "We were only ordered to kill the Water Tribe warrior. We have no reason to harm the woman and baby."

"Ping she heard…!" Ling started, pointing to Suki.

"She heard nothing the king's forces wouldn't assume without her" Ping protested. "Just kill the Avatar's brother-in-law."

With that Ling and Ping left with Katara.

"Katara!" Sokka shouted desperately trying to wrench himself free. The two remaining agents stepped in front of him, removing knives from their sleeves.

Quick as a flash Suki pulled her fan out from her waist and threw it at one of the agents. Distracted by his given task to kill Sokka the assassin did not notice and the fan struck him in the back of the head. The steel lining and frame of the fan was so hard that when it struck him it knocked the agent unconscious.

The remaining agent momentarily looked to where his comrade fell and Sokka saw an opportunity and seized it. He reached behind his back to where his club was fastened and took it with his free hand. He swung it forward and hit the final agent in the leg. The agent's femur shattered like glass and he toppled down. Sokka struck him once more in the head, knocking him out.

Using his club, Sokka smashed the rock gloves binding him to rubble, freeing himself. He did the same to Suki. Suki went to grab little Hakoda but Sokka immediately ran out the door to where Ling and Ping had fled with Katara. Their feet had been covered in rock boots as well as their hands so there were indents in the ground that served as tracks. He followed them out to the balcony.

"KATARA!" he yelled hopelessly when he reached the balcony. He looked urgently around for more tracks, any indication to where his sister had been taken. There was none, they had completely disappeared.

"NO!"


	13. Setting a Trap

Aang was sighing with a deep exasperation he had not known in many years. He found himself in the same place he had been years ago on the eve of the appearance of Sozin's Comet. Well not exactly the same. He was sitting in the nosebleed section of large theatre during a production by the acclaimed Ember Island Players. The only difference was he wasn't in the Fire Nation this time. He was in the eastern Earth Kingdom continuing his search for Long Feng. He was meeting a very important contact who would help him. Sadly the only place his contact would agree to meet him was at the playhouse, being an avid fan of the Players. The Ember Island Players' popularity had grown so great in the years after the war they had even become famous in the Earth Kingdom. Their depictions of the exploits of Avatar Aang and his friends sold out every showing. Despite this Aang's undying hatred of the Players and their works had not diminished since the first time he had sat through one of their productions. Not only did their slanderous play portray Aang as woman, end with the victory of the Fire Lord and the death of Aang and his friends but it actually had the gall to suggest that Zuko and Katara were a couple. Now that was truly unforgivable.

After the end of the war Zuko and Aang made sure to make the Ember Island Players aware of the inaccuracies in "The Boy in the Iceberg" and they promised to put together a new play that would show their true story to the world. They even appointed a completely new director to the play who was famous for a few brilliant works. However the disappointing result of that promise was a retelling of the first book of the original play called "The Last Airbender". Aang didn't think it was possible but that play was actually worse than "The Boy in the Iceberg." None of the actors remotely resembled their characters or were able to accurately portray their personalities and emotions, nearly all of the characters' names were pronounced wrong, the plot was stripped down to the bone, all of the lightheartedness and humor was removed, and the merging of Aang with the Ocean Spirit was completely omitted from the climax. Another horrible aspect of it was that instead of replacing Aang's romance with Katara for a fantasized one with Zuko, "The Last Airbender" did not include a romantic element at all, except for a few snippets of Sokka and Princess Yue. The play also operated under the erroneous assumption that most Firebenders can't create fire with their own chi, whereas that is one of the most basic skills of even the most mediocre Firebender. Thankfully and much to Aang's satisfaction "The Last Airbender" was completely panned by critics and audiences alike to the point that its proposed sequel would likely never see the light of day.

The Ember Island Players' newest production was a story about the next Avatar, taking place about 70 years in the future. Surprisingly Aang had actually enjoyed it very much. He thought the plot was very creative and a nice continuation of the story. He loved a lot of the characters; he thought the next Avatar Korra was a compelling protagonist with a lot of interesting inner conflicts and admirable confidence, a good role model for girls. He also thought had very high hopes for the character of Mako, given his personality similarities to Zuko and the fact that he was given the name of the late actor who originally portrayed Iroh in "The Boy and the Iceberg."

At least that was how he felt at the beginning of the play.

"Oh Korra!" Mako's actor passionately declared on stage. "Even though I have a girlfriend and I know my little brother likes you I am still proud to declare, I love you!"

"Oh Mako!" Korra pontificated. "I have no moral objections to either of those facts, even though I was dating Bolin the first time I kissed you and Asami was always nice to me, even after she found out I liked you, but I can't love you!"

"Why not?!" Mako asked heartbrokenly.

"Because I'm not the Avatar anymore!" Korra declared running offstage while wailing melodramatically.

Aang let out another sigh of disappointment. This play had started out so well. "What is this love triangle crap?" he said to himself.

"I like it" said a voice standing behind Aang. "Adds a little bit of an edge." He turned around and saw his contact, a bounty hunter named June standing behind him.

Aang chuckled. "Well of course you do. After all you thought Zuko and Katara were a couple the first time you saw them. This Mako Korra relationship was pretty much put in to keep all you emo Zutara fans who were upset that Katara and I ended up together happy."

June took a seat next to Aang as she laughed. "Is that so? Well in any event it worked. And shouldn't you be happier? This play shows you and Katara got married and had three kids."

Aang lifted his hands up in surrender. "Hey I'm fine with that. Tenzin's probably the best character in this whole thing. Although I wished they showed Bumi longer than five seconds and would show Kaya at all."

"No arguments here" June replied. "And while they're at it they should tell us who the hell Lin's father is."

"Amen to that!" Aang agreed. "I mean it's Toph who wouldn't want to know who she ends up with? But anyway my problem with the whole Mako, Korra thing isn't that the writers put them together it's that they made Mako cheat on Asami and Korra cheat on Bolin. That's just wrong. Asami's a nice girl who already had to deal with her mother's death, not to mention the fact that her father turned out to be a terrorist who almost killed her. What did she do to deserve getting cheated on in addition to all that?! How miserable does she have to be before the writers are satisfied? Not to mention Bolin is Mako's brother and he kissed Korra in front of him and barely apologized. I mean it's like Mako doesn't even care if he hurts his loved ones for this moody angsty teenage relationship!"

"Hey he's a bad boy!" June said with her casual air of relaxedness. "That's why the girl's liked Zuko; it's why the girls like him."

Aang was expecting this answer and was ready with a counterargument. "Zuko would _never _do this to Mai! Not in a million years. Mako is basically Zuko with all the likeable aspects of his personality taken out. He and Korra are kind of selfish jerks."

June merely scoffed and shrugged the comment off. She then pointed at the stage. "Hey look there you are!"

Aang looked where she was pointing and saw the actor portraying an older version of himself. He liked him; he hoped that he would actually look that cool when he was older especially with his beard although his voice didn't sound very much like his. He then witnessed his older self promptly use Energybending to return Korra's Water, Earth and Firebending to her as she dramatically entered the Avatar State. He then witnessed Korra return the bending to everyone else who had lost it and then profess her love for Mako.

"Oh come on what was that?!" Aang shouted. "All of a sudden I just show up and give her bending back no strings attached?! I had to risk my life to become an Energybender in a mortal battle of wills with the Fire Lord and you're telling me I can just instantly give that ability, not to mention mastery of the freaking Avatar State, to an Avatar who isn't even fully realized? How would Korra learn anything that way?"

"What's she supposed to learn?" June asked.

"I don't know" Aang replied. "But I thought she would go a little longer only being able to Airbend. I mean that would have been an interesting plot device her having to come to terms with the fact that she was still the Avatar. You know a lesson about how there's more to being the Avatar than bending. Besides she would be able to better master Airbending if she only had it to depend on for a while. That would have been cooler than all of their problems being magically solved at the end of the first act. I mean that was just lazy writing and it felt rushed. How are they going to have any conflict left for the next act? And I still have a problem with it ending with Mako and Korra kissing, they're still a cheating couple. It makes it very hard to like the two of them as protagonists." Aang then paused and laughed as he realized his final objection to the play. "Not to mention my life is still going on so it's possible some of the events of the future will directly contradict this play, especially this whole Earth Kingdom civil war fiasco. I wonder how that will get reconciled."

"Well with all the problems you have with how this play ended do you think you can do a better job?" June asked challengingly.

"I don't know" Aang admitted with humility. "I guess I'll just have to try my best."

"Ok but you have to at least admit that getting the actor who played Zuko to play General Iroh in this play was freaking sweet" June said.

"Well yeah no one's arguing against that" Aang agreed. "But anyway back to business."

June laughed. "You mean you didn't just come here to debate theatre?"

"Nope" Aang said with a chuckle. "I'd like to hire you for a very important job."

"All right but I should warn you I don't come cheap" June replied. "Especially after that last little job your friends recruited me for to prevent 'the end of the world' or something like that. I totally got ripped off on that one."

Aang laughed again. "Hey you didn't die in a burning inferno like you would have if you didn't help."

June acted as if this was a very minor detail. "Whatever kid, drinks don't buy themselves. No more freebies."

Aang had expected this. "Well that's fine. Thanks to the Earth King I have plenty of funds for this mission."

June finally seemed surprised. "Really the Earth King? This must be a big deal. What are you getting yourself into this time Avatar?"

Aang reached inside his robe and pulled out the piece of cloth he had recovered with Long Feng's seal on it. "I'm looking for someone called Long Feng he's…"

June quickly interrupted. "Everyone knows who he is kid" she said. "He's the one stirring up all that trouble in the west, convincing people to rebel against the King. Why do you think I'm here in the east? I don't want to get caught in the middle of all that mess. "

"Well do you think you can help me find Long Feng?" Aang asked.

June shrugged. "Getting killed is bad for business kid. I may not know exactly what's happening in the west but I know this guy is dangerous."

Aang remained polite. "I'm not asking you to help me fight him, just find him. Just point me in the right direction and I'll handle the rest."

June seemed less than enthusiastic. "I'd still probably have to take you into the war zone. That doesn't sound like fun."

Aang began pleading. "Aw come on! Pretty please! I've got 500 gold pieces here!" He held up a money purse the Earth King had given him before he left.

The joy and surprise was evident on June's face; she was ecstatic. "500 gold…you've got a deal kid!" She snatched the purse out of his hand. "You got something with his scent on it?"

Aang handed the cloth he had found to June. "I know this cloth belongs to him because it has his seal. He used to be the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se."

June examined it closely. "Where did you find this?"

"Near the Si Wong desert; it looked like one of his abandoned bases."

Surprisingly June tossed the cloth aside. "Sorry kid can't help ya."

Aang was completely shocked as he picked up the cloth from the floor. "What? Why?!"

"Personal responsibility" June answered calmly.

"What do you mean? I told you that you wouldn't have to do anything dangerous" Aang reminded.

"That's not what I mean. I think it would be unethical to lead one of my customers to his own death, especially since that means I would lose his business." Aang's confusion must have registered on his face because she continued to explain. "Look at this thing. You just happened to find it exactly where you're looking and it just happens to belong to him? It's even labeled to make sure you know it's his."

Aang didn't understand her reservation. "Exactly it's perfect!"

June sounded like he had proven her point for her. "Exactly, it's _too_ perfect. In my business finding a sample this good should never be so easy. There's only one explanation; Long Feng wanted you to find it."

"Huh?" Aang asked.

To June the explanation was rather simple. "He managed to slip your trail for this long. Someone as smart as him wouldn't make a mistake as obvious as this. My only theory, he didn't want you to find him until he was ready and now he is. You're walking straight into a trap kid."

It made perfect sense. Aang was surprised he didn't see it before. It was probably because he had been so excited about finally stopping Long Feng and making Katara safe again. He remained quiet for brief moment but it didn't take him very long to decide how he felt about this news. "It doesn't matter" he said.

June was confused. "What?"

"If Long Feng is challenging me then I happily accept" Aang said. "Please take me to him."

June replied, "You might wanna think this through kid. You won't know what to expect and he'll be ready for you."

"No he won't" Aang replied. "He can't be. I've mastered the Four Elements and the Avatar State. I defeated Fire Lord Ozai, even when he was empowered by Sozin's Comet. It doesn't matter what Long Feng's plan is he can't defeat me." June looked like she was about to object again but he then added. "Besides I don't have any other choice. Long Feng has conquered the entire western Earth Kingdom and is heading for Ba Sing Se. It won't be long before he finds his way here. If you really think you're safe hiding in the east you aren't. It won't be long before no one in the Earth Kingdom is safe. If you want me to stop this war then the only choice is to take me to him."

His argument clearly had gotten through to June. She looked paralyzed with indecision. "I don't know…"

Aang let out another weary sigh. He knew there was only one more thing he could bribe her with even though to do so would sacrifice every principal he held dear. He bowed his head in shame and said, "If you do this I'll talk to the writers of the play and convince them to write a chapter that reveals Tenzin and Lin had an extramarital affair."

"Sold!" June said almost instantly.

Aang groaned, "Man some fans are just weird."

June stood up. "While you're at it convince them to release the next book of this play sometime before we die of old age it's been over a year. But anyway we'd better get going. Oh and one more thing Avatar, don't say I didn't warn you."

King Bumi stood at the edge of his royal palace as he watched thousands of men march across the land on the outskirts of his city Omashu. Captain Yung, the leader of Omashu's military stood next to him as the large crowd filed passed them in the distance. Omashu had largely been restored to the state it was in before its occupation by the Fire Nation. Some of the buildings that were destroyed when King Bumi ousted the Fire Nation soldiers needed to be rebuilt but all of the citizens had moved back in and normal life had otherwise resumed, even before the war had ended in the rest of the Earth Kingdom. Anyone who visited Omashu now would never be able to tell it had ever been conquered. A major reason for this was that none of Omashu's citizens had died as a result of the conquest. Thanks to Bumi's immediate unconditional surrender to the original attack and single-handed reconquering of his city none of his soldiers had to be killed resisting the Fire Nation.

"What do you think we should do about this Your Majesty?" asked the Captain obediently.

King Bumi held his hand to his chin and stroked his beard thoughtfully. After many profound moments spent in deep thought he answered, "We will do…nothing!" He began laughing maniacally.

Yung sighed with weariness. This was practically the same thing Bumi said on the day Omashu was conquered. Yung had strongly disagreed with his decision and had formed the Omashu Resistance in an attempt to go rectify the situation. He then led his people in a mass evacuation out of the city at Aang's insistence to preserve their safety. He was completely flabbergasted when he heard King Bumi had reclaimed Omashu during the Day of Black Sun. "Are you sure King Bumi?" he asked insistently.

"As sure as I am old!" Bumi proclaimed proudly. "And that's _really_ sure! Haha!"

Yung tried to remain patient but his sense of duty compelled him to object. "With all due respect Your Majesty the Earth King's scouts have informed us that army is currently heading to Ba Sing Se with the full intention of sacking it."

Bumi's goofy demeanor was hardly phased by this. "Oh and they might do it too! That is one BIG army!"

Yung was getting annoyed. "King Bumi…"

"Captain!" Bumi interrupted, holding one hand up. He then reached into his robe and pulled out a piece of jennamite from his sleeve. "Pretend this piece of rock candy is us, not just the two of us but the entire city of Omashu."

"Ok…" the Captain responded with confusion.

Bumi continued, "Now pretend my mouth is that army." He then pointed to the crowd of in the distance. "Now observe what happens." He took a large bite out of the creeping crystal and munched on it voraciously, spilling many fragments out of the sides of his mouth.

Yung flinched in disgust. "What is your point Sir?"

"What is the current military strength of this city Captain?" Bumi asked. Suddenly his voice was very rational and intelligent.

Yung was thrown off briefly by the saneness of his voice. "Um…at any given time we have about 2,000 soldiers available. If we collect volunteers we could probably muster another 500, possibly another 1,000 if we put a draft in place."

"Precisely" Bumi replied. "At most we have 3,000 able-bodied fighters at our disposal. How large would you say that force out there is?"

Yung was starting to see where Bumi was going with this. He calmly answered, "According to reports from General Fong's base it is at least 5,000 men strong."

Bumi calmly nodded. "Unfortunately it's grown since that report was sent to us."

Yung was shocked. "What? How?!"

Bumi's voice turned grave. "General Fong's forces will have joined with Long Feng's by now. There will be many well-trained soldiers added to than mix of disgruntled peasants and Earthbenders."

Now Yung was indignant. "What?! How do you know Fong will have joined Long Feng?! Did you receive word of it?"

Bumi shook his head. "Not yet but given everything Aang told me about him it's obvious Long Feng will be able to manipulate him. He's an extremist willing to go to any lengths to achieve his goals and he is very bitter about the war with the Fire Nation. He will have feelings of resentment for the Earth King and for Aang that Long Feng will be able to take advantage of."

Yung was very angered by the idea of anyone betraying the Earth King. "Even if that's true what about his men?! Surely they won't allow him to betray their kingdom without protest!"

Bumi responded sadly. "They obeyed Fong's orders to kill the Avatar and his friends without protest. They won't defy him now."

Yung was completely outraged now and no longer able to contain himself. "In that case it's all the more reason to attack those traitors! They've turned against the Earth Kingdom! It's our duty to stop them!"

Bumi shook his head again. "No Captain. An army of that size would chew up our army and spit it out. As King of Omashu I cannot throw my people's lives away like that."

The seriousness of King Bumi's voice calmed Yung slightly. "I know as King of Omashu your duty is to its citizens. But like every other citizen of the Earth Kingdom and as a regent king directly below King Kuei your first duty is to Ba Sing Se and the Earth King."

Bumi nodded his head calmly. "Of course that's why I can't throw away our power to help him now." Yung raised an eyebrow at this statement. "We cannot defeat that force in an all-out battle. However from inside our city we could outlast them for several weeks with our fortifications and food supplies. For that reason they won't waste time attacking us while they're still gathering troops for the siege of Ba Sing Se."

Yung was calm again. "So they will leave us alone?"

"For now" Bumi replied. "I doubt someone like Long Feng will like the idea of such a powerful city existing outside of his control. His plan is probably to come back for us later, after conquering Ba Sing Se. Fortunately this will leave over 2,000 soldiers still loyal to the King poised and waiting for the right time to strike in the meantime."

Yung's voice now became slightly hopeful. "So we will help the Earth King."

Bumi nodded. "Yes but have patience Captain. We must employ neutral jing; wait and listen for the right time to strike. We will attack at the time when our help will be most effective and useful not a moment sooner." His lighthearted smile returned. "Would you like some rock candy Captain?" He held out a piece of blue jennamite.

Captain Yung smiled. Bumi may have been eccentric, downright mad in fact but he was a genius. There was no questioning that. When the Captain had doubted him before he had always been proven wrong. This time he wouldn't waste time with doubts. He would have faith in his King. He smiled and reached out to grab the candy. "Sure Your Highness."

King Bumi quickly retracted his hand and guarded the precious piece of candy in his robes acting as if Yung had tried to steal his own child from him. "Well you can't have any! It's MINE!"

Yung's annoyance quickly registered on his face with a sarcastic scowl.

Bumi smiled again. "Just kidding." He held out the piece again.

Yung chuckled and took the crystal. "If I may say so sir, you are a _mad _genius."

Bumi snorted again. "I must be! I think that's the first time I've ever seen you laugh!"

Meanwhile the issue of Omashu's place in the Civil War was being discussed elsewhere. It was a dreary dungeon, dimly lit with a few green lanterns. Long Feng was working his way down to the lowest level with his highest subordinates at his side, Ping on his right side, Ling at his left.

"Are you sure you don't want our forces to conquer Omashu while they are passing through that region Your Highness?" Ping asked. The Dai Li agents had taken to calling Long Feng by royal descriptions ever since his army had declared its succession from the Earth Kingdom. "King Bumi is loyal to Ba Sing Se he may become a problem later."

Long Feng answered, "I don't like it but right now it's the only option. Conquering Omashu was only easy for the Fire Nation because King Bumi surrendered. He won't this time, not when he knows we'll recruit his people to fight against King Kuei. A siege of Omashu would require more time and man power than we can afford to waste we need to focus on preparing for the battle at Ba Sing Se."

"Is it possible we could place spies within Omashu and convince the people to turn against King Bumi like we did in the villages?" Ping asked.

Long Feng shook his head. "No that won't work in Omashu; it remained largely untouched by the war with the Fire Nation for its majority so there will be less widespread desires for revenge. Even when it was finally conquered it only stayed that way for a few months and was taken back with minimum casualties and damages thanks to brilliant strategy on the part of their king. It doesn't matter what the people think of Kuei or the Fire Nation, their loyalty to King Bumi is unquestionable. He's even found ways to make Omashu's tax burden manageable. It's best to leave Omashu alone for now and conquer it when we have more resources to spare."

Ping nodded in agreement. "It seems that if Bumi were king of the entire Earth Kingdom instead of that useless weakling Kuei we'd have a much harder time convincing people to rebel against him."

"Indeed" Long Feng affirmed. "I do hope we can convince him to see our side of things in the end. I would hate to waste someone as valuable as him."

"That would be a waste" Ling said very quietly.

Long Feng stopped walking briefly. He sounded agitated. "Ling, what did I tell you about speaking about speaking without being spoken to?"

Ling bowed his head like a dog who had become accustomed to the sting of a newspaper. He nervously rubbed the stump of his right hand with his left. He obediently repeated his master's words, "That no one is interested in what I have to say anymore."

Long Feng continued. "And why not?"

Ling kept his head bowed low. "Because I am a useless failure and a cripple."

"You're not my lieutenant anymore are you? Long Feng asked with as much condescension as possible.

"No sir" Ling responded. "Ping is. I couldn't even complete a simple mission. I let the Dragon of the West sneak up on me and destroy my hand. It was all my fault."

"And why is Ping my lieutenant now?" Long Feng asked as if he was a teacher asking the slowest student in his class to add two and two.

"Because…" Ling began. He slowly looked up and saw Ping's face. No one had told Long Feng that Ping had hesitated to kill Katara when he learned of her pregnancy, including Ling. If he had known his treatment of Ping would have been far worse than that of Ling. Ling finished his answer. "Because…Ping is superior to me in every way. He deserves the command I was too incompetent to keep."

"Very good" Answered Long Feng with a smirk. "Remember all that and maybe one day I'll forgive you for failing me. After all it was merciful of me to keep a cripple in my employ at all wasn't it?"

"Yes sir Long Feng, no one is kinder than you" Ling answered. Long Feng laughed in satisfaction and they continued walking, crossing into a new corridor lined with doors on either side. After a few minutes they reached their destination.

Long Feng spoke in the best politician voice he had. "Gentleman be on your best behavior, we are about to be in the presence of a lady!" He slid the door open.

The room was so small it became cramped by the presence of three men. The walls were completely bare save for a few holes on the ceiling used for ventilation. There was no furniture or objects of any kind save for a link of chains fastened to the wall by a metal harness. The chains were handcuffed to the lone inhabitant of the room. It was a Water Tribe woman. It was Katara and this room was her prison.

"Well hello Katara…" Long Feng greeted warmly. He wasn't finished with his sentence for more than a second when Katara spat an icicle aimed directly at his eye. He calmly held up his hand, which was covered in earth and blocked the projectile. He laughed. "They warned me you had learned to weaponize your spit. Now is that any kind of greeting for an old friend?"

"Old friend?!" Katara shouted with impunity. "You dirty sneaky son of a…"

"Such harsh words!" Long Feng said jokingly. "Come now you're going to hurt my feelings." Katara began struggling to break free of her bonds, pulling on her handcuffs in an attempt to break them. "Please Katara don't embarrass yourself. That's the finest steel in the Earth Kingdom. It was designed for our ships in the northern oceans which makes it extremely resistant to cold as well. Of course it's not like there's any water for you to make use of in this cell anyway."

Katara pursed her lips in an attempt to gather up as much spit as possible. Ling reach forward and grabbed her face harshly in his hand.

"Down Ling" Long Feng said. "That is not how we treat our guests." Ling let go immediately but continued to glare at Katara with hate.

Katara was still filled with burning fury. She looked straight up into Long Feng's eyes and said, "I swear on my mother's necklace, if your men did anything to hurt my brother I will _kill_ you!"

Long Feng sounded amused. "Don't make hollow threats Katara. Your enemy will never take you seriously again."

"It's not hollow!" Katara shouted. "If Sokka isn't ok I will…"

Long Feng interrupted. "Please you kill me? You didn't even kill Yon Rha and he murdered your own mother."

Katara gasped in complete shock and fear. "How…how did you know…"

"Suffice it to say I know _everything_ about you and your little friends Katara" Long Feng answered. "My agents have been working on that for quite some time. Forgive me if I'm wrong but your mother died when you were very young didn't she?"

Katara's anger exploded. "SHUT UP! Do not talk about my mother!"

Long Feng smirked. "It's ironic isn't it? Yon Rha was only assigned to kill a single person; the sole Southern Waterbender. Your mother lied to him saying she was that bender, believing he would only take her prisoner but then he killed her right there in cold blood."

"SHUT UP!" Katara bellowed.

Long Feng continued. "You were really the Waterbender he was looking for weren't you? She sacrificed her life to protect you." He chuckled sadistically. "It's funny if it wasn't for you she might still be alive."

Katara wailed in absolute fury. "SHUT UP! SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Long Feng wasn't finished yet though. "And after she _died _for you, you couldn't even give her spirit the satisfaction of being avenged. Sure you tracked Yon Rha down, but pretty much just to yell at him." He laughed again. "To have the chance to slay the man who murdered the women who gave birth to you and to just throw it away so easily; I guess you didn't love her very much at all."

Katara's voice was a deafening shriek. She was hurting her throat but couldn't stop. Tears fell down her cheeks. "SHUT UP YOU WORTHLES PIECE OF SH…"

Long Feng interrupted arrogantly, "Let's watch the language young lady. Any way you can stop whining about your brother we already received word the attempt on his life failed."

Katara's eyes had been shut by her tears, but this sentence opened them. She looked straight at Long Feng.

Long Feng continued, "Yes apparently my men didn't anticipate a few hidden weapons. Good help is so hard to find these days." He turned his head to the left. "Right Ling?" Ling shook his head in fearful obedience.

Katara sighed in relief. She was still crying, but less erratically now.

Long Feng sounded friendly. "Yes don't worry you have nothing to fear. We have bigger and better things to worry about right now than your brother and we have no intention of harming you."

Katara was very surprised and confused. It didn't make any sense; he had ordered his agents to kill her in the Jasmine Dragon. Why the change of heart? She asked, "What? You don't?" Long Feng nodded. "What do you want from me?"

Long Feng sounded as if this was a frivolous question. "Want? I want nothing from you Katara. All I want is for you to sit in this cell. You'll be provided with adequate sustenance. As long as you don't try to escape we won't have any problems. I'm not such of a bad man after all am I?"

"Why would you try to kill me one minute and then play host the next?" Katara asked.

"Come now you're a clever girl" Long Feng replied. "Surely you can figure it out. Why would I care about killing you? After all _you _aren't my biggest threat."

Katara's heart sank. She couldn't breathe for a second. "You're using me to lure Aang into a trap!"

"Clever girl" Long Feng said, pointing his index finger at her.

"You're crazy if you think I'm going to let you use me as bait!" Katara insisted.

A twinge of anger was heard in Long Feng's voice. "Oh you _are_ going to let me! You are going to sit obediently in this cell and let me do whatever I please with the Avatar and you will do so of your own free will!"

Katara instantly retorted. "Why would I do that?"

Long Feng laughed his same deep, conceited laugh again. "You know I originally thought the assassination attempt against you at the Jasmine Dragon was a complete failure. But amid all the dust I uncovered a gem. While you were pathetically begging for your life like a coward my men learned of your pregnancy."

Katara's chest tightened so much it almost felt like she was going to choke. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around her stomach, cradling it protectively.

Long Feng chortled even more. "Yes Katara. You see I made a mistake. I thought killing you would be the best way to throw your husband off his game that his grief would make him reckless but then I realized the fear of losing not only you but also his unborn child would be even more suited to that task. He will be driven mad by his desire to save his new family, his desperation will make him truly reckless and he will make mistakes. I will exploit those mistakes and I will have my revenge."

"I won't let you hurt Aang or my baby!" Katara shouted.

"If you try to escape my men have been instructed to aim for your stomach with their attacks while subduing you" Long Feng said with a dire expression. "If you assault my guards or otherwise attempt to resist my will we will kill your child before it is even born."

Katara tightened her protective grip around her pregnant belly. "You…that's low even for you!"

Long Feng boomed with laughter. "Don't blame me! You allowed yourself to be captured. Is that really the type of mother you want to be? This baby depends on you for protection Katara!"

"Shut up!" Katara barked. "Don't lecture me about motherhood!"

Long Feng's smirk grew wider. "I wonder if it will be a boy or a girl. Have you thought about any names yet? It sure would be a shame if you never got to use them."

Katara was absolutely horrified. This threat was so terrible she didn't expect it even from Long Feng. "You're…you're sick!"

Long Feng went on undaunted. "What if it's an Airbender? A kindred spirit to your husband, the continuation of his people. It sure would be a shame if it could never realize its potential to help rebuild its culture. I bet Aang would be really upset if you let such an important child slip through your fingers."

"So I'm just supposed to let you kill my husband?!" Katara shouted.

Long Feng treated the question as simple. "You know as well as I do he would rather die than let a member of his own family suffer that fate. Do you really think you would ever be able to face him again after you let your own child die, that he would ever look at you the same way? He would prefer death to such a fate."

Katara was absolutely defeated. She knew what Long Feng said was true. She couldn't risk her babies' lives. She had carried them for four months, she had felt them kick, and they were hers. She couldn't bear the thought of losing them, not now. And she knew she could never face Aang again if they died as a result of her actions.

Her fear must have registered on her face. Long Feng knew he had won. "Good we have an understanding. Just stay here and be a good little girl, no be a good mother."

He calmly turned around and opened the door. Ling immediately followed him. Ping did too but hesitated for a second. He looked over at Katara for a brief moment. His expression was fleeting, but for an instant it looked like it was filled with pity.

The door shut as the men left. Katara was totally filled with despair. She collapsed on the ground and started crying uncontrollably.


End file.
